asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many complaints have now been received about the future arrangements for egg payment accounts and producer payments when the contract scheme comes into operation next year; and whether he will direct the appropriate committee of investigation to report to him on these arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will set up a committee of investigation to consider the objections raised by egg producers to the proposed centralised payment scheme.

Ministers have discretion under Section 19 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1958, to refer to the Committee of Investigation complaints about the operation of marketing schemes. While I have received a number of representations from interested parties about the Board's arrangements I have not received any specific request which Ministers can properly consider referring to the Committee of Investigation.