§ 54. Mr. BUXTONasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will take steps to institute a survey of agricultural conditions in selected areas on the lines of the survey now being conducted under the Scottish Board of Agriculture?
Mr. GUINNESSDuring the past few months my Department has been making inquiries from crop reporters throughout England and Wales with a view of obtaining as much information as possible regarding agricultural conditions. When this information is available the question of conducting some more detailed investigations in selected areas will be further considered.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWill the statistics that are being obtained include the rates at present being paid by the farmers in the cases of which this is a sample? As this is a very important item in the profit-making of these farms, could that information be obtained at the same time?
Mr. GUINNESSI have already answered that question. We are going into the question of the information for which we may ask, hut we first want to see what results we can get from the crop reporters.
§ Mr. SKELTONWould it not be possible to obtain, and will the right hon. Gentleman consider publishing, the typical farmers' budgets in the arable districts, so that there may be definite information before the country as to the practical state of agriculture in each district?
Mr. GUINNESSI will go into the whole of this question, but it is very difficult to get, figures which are at all comparable or convincing.