Agriculture Ministers from England, Scotland and Wales have agreed that the Horticultural Development Council (HDC) should continue in its present role as the body charged with commissioning research and development for the horticultural industry.

The decision follows the latest statutory review of the HDC which included an economic evaluation, a consultation with the horticultural industry, a poll of levy payers and an organisational options review.

The new term for the Council would normally be five years.

However, as part of the Government's Rural Strategy 2004, Defra will commission a wider independent review on the future of levy-funded bodies.

Issues the review will consider include:

* the extent to which levy-funded organisations and functions remain appropriate
* whether a levy should be retained
* whether existing bodies might be merged.

Larry Whitty, Defra Minister for Farming and Food said:

"The HDC has done valuable work over the past five years to provide horticultural research and development which is relevant to the industry's needs.

The forthcoming review of levy bodies may have implications for the HDC but in the meantime I am pleased to confirm Defra's support for the continuation of it's work."

The report of the HDC Quinquennial Review can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/hort/hortindx.htm

BACKGROUND

The HDC was formed as a statutory levy body in 1986 under the Industrial Organisation and Development Act 1947. Its remit is to undertake or commission research and development for the horticulture industry.

The Council is subject to statutory review at 5-yearly intervals.

Lord Haskin's Rural Delivery Review recommended that Defra seek opportunities to rationalise levy boards. (Recommendation 20) The recommendations can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/ruraldelivery/report/text/annex1.htm

The Government's Rural Strategy 2004 (which forms the final response to the Haskins review) can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/strategy/default.htm