HC Deb 22 November 1938 vol 341 cc1496-7
60. Mr. Boothby

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the grave injury to Scottish agriculture arising from the present unremunerative price of oats; and whether he will consider increasing the guaranteed price and raising the quota per acre in order to give to Scottish farmers the security in respect of their stable cereal crop which is now enjoyed by the growers of wheat?

Mr. Colville

I am aware of the recent fall in the price of oats, which will, of course, mean that the sums payable next year to oat growers under the Agriculture Act, 1937, will be substantially higher than those paid this year. I cannot make any statement with regard to the suggestions made in the second part of the question, but, as my right. hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture indicated during the Debate on 15th November, the Government will continue to give consideration to the position of the growers of oats and barley.

Mr. Boothby

Is the Secretary of State aware that the sums which are about to be paid are quite insufficient to secure a remunerative price to growers of oats? Does he not regard this matter as one of great urgency, and will he give an undertaking that the Government will look into it without any delay?

Mr. Colville

I have already indicated that I will look into the position of oat growers, but the sums which will be payable on the crop grown this year will be very much greater than those paid this year on the crop grown last year.

Mr. Boothby

They are not enough.

Duchess of Atholl

Will the Secretary of State bear in mind the fact that Scottish farmers find it very difficult to understand why these payments should be based on only two quarters an acre, instead of the considerably larger quantity per acre which is the basis in the case of wheat?

Mr. Colville

That point has been put to me already, but it must also be remembered that in the case of wheat very large quantities are imported from abroad, whereas the imports of oats are very small. The remedy cannot be applied in quite the same way.

69. Sir R. W. Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES IN SCOTLAND.
Acreages under Oats in the Years 1936, 1937 and 1938.
Institution. Year.
1936. 1937. 1938.
Acres. Acres. Acres.
Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Agriculture 36.25 44.5 30
North of Scotland College of Agriculture 50 55 83
West of Scotland Agricultural College 52 55 48
Animal Diseases Research Association Nil Nil Nil
Hannah Dairy Research Institute 18 9 30
Institute of Animal Genetics, Edinburgh University 52 55.5 37
Macaulay Institute for Soil Research 3* 3* —
Rowett Research Institute 79.2 123.7 146.6
Scottish Society for Research in Plant Breeding 6.25 8.25 7
296.7 353.95 381.6
*Marcaulay Farm in Lewis.