58. Mr. De la Bèereasked the Minister of Agriculture, in view of the discontent among farmers whose main crops are oats that they are being restricted to 2 cwts. off the farm, which represents only one-third production per acre, what steps the Government are taking to give them equal treatment with the producers of wheat?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonI would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House on 27th May, in which I explained that the proposed acreage subsidy for oats would be calculated on the basis that, on the average, about 6 cwts. per acre are sold off farms, and that the payment would, therefore, be equal to six times the difference between the standard price and the market price per cwt.
Mr. De la BèreMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman as the friend of the farmer, whether he is aware that what farmers really want is money at 2½ per cent., and not at 5 per cent.?