---

Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Order 2007

My Lords, I do not think that I am going to be able to reassure the noble Lord in detail on that point. It may be an area that I will have to write to him about. Article 5(2) allows the board to continue to undertake functions delegated to the sector companies. The provision enables the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board to carry out research and development even after it has delegated that function to the sector companies. For example, research concerning some environmental issues would be carried out at board level because of its relevance to all sectors, whereas there will also be a need for sector-specific R&D. It is to preserve for the board the capacity to carry out the functions while at the same time guaranteeing to the sectors that they can also do so. That is the principle behind Article 5(2).