§ 31. Mr. De Chairasked the Minister of Agriculture in view of the all-time low record price of wheat, whether he can arrange for an immediate further interim payment in respect of deficiency payments to be made to registered wheat- growers who have sold their wheat?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithNo, Sir. The Wheat Commission have already during this cereal year made five advances to registered growers at the rate of 4s. per cwt., the last advance having been made as recently as 13th July in respect of sales of wheat credited to 30th June. Deficiency payments on the very small quantity of wheat sold since that date, together with final payments on the advances already made will be made early in September.
§ Mr. De ChairWill any further advance payments be made between now and September? Does not a situation in farming which is unprecedented in 300 years require unprecedented remedies?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithI would remind my hon. Friend that the deficiency payments have to be calculated in relation to the difference between the standard price of 10s. per quarter and the average price obtained by the registered growers for home-grown millable wheat sold by them during the cereal year ending on 31st July.