§ 52. Brigadier-General Clifton Brownasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that uncertainty as to the future of the agricultural market for lime is deterring some producers of lime from developing their production; and whether he will take steps to prevent this?
Mr. HudsonYes, Sir. With a view to giving some guidance to lime producers the Government have been considering the question of the supply of lime for agricultural purposes when the present statutory authority for the lime subsidy is due to come to an end in 1944. The Government have already announced their intention to see that a healthy and well balanced agriculture is established in this country after the war. This policy governs 862 the action to be taken as regards lime. While therefore the precise steps will obviously have to be decided upon to suit the conditions then obtaining, it is clear that they will be such as to ensure the use of lime for agricultural purposes at a considerably higher level than in the years before the subsidy came into operation.