asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his future policy on the top fruit industry.

Our present and future policy is to encourage the industry to maintain and improve its efficiency in the growing and marketing of fruit, and to strengthen its ability to withstand competition through the merits of its produce.

When does the Minister anticipate being in a position to make a statement about his future policy on grants to encourage grubbing up and to enable the British acreage to be so reduced that that which remains will be able to compete fairly, whether or not we enter Europe?

Before very long, Sir.

In view of the recent very unfortunate decision about apple import quotas for the first six months of 1971, will my hon. Friend say what can be done to prune the Board of Trade?

I understand that that is in the past, and that the Board of Trade has been exterminated, not pruned.