§ 55. Lord Apsleyasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that, under the prevailing quota system for each county, in some cases valuable pasture up to 100 years old and worth £50 an acre for fattening stock is being ploughed up, whereas in others, seven-and eight-year old worn-out leys, worth £5 to £8 an acre, are being neglected; and how he proposes to remedy this anomaly before too much damage has been done?
§ The Minister of Agriculture (Colonel Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith)The minimum amounts of grassland to be ploughed in each county for this year's harvest were fixed with due regard to the varying conditions of farming in different parts of the country. The ploughing of a certain 2116 amount of good grassland was unavoidable, but the actual selection of the land to be broken up rests with the county war agricultural executive committees, which are composed of practical agriculturists acquainted with the local conditions and needs, and I am confident that these committees may be trusted to carry out their task with due discrimination.
§ Lord ApsleyIs my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that in many counties where arable farming and seed leys preponderate, there has been a quota not sufficiently large to get those leys ploughed up, whereas in other counties valuable pasture worth £50 an acre is being ploughed up compulsorily?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithThere is no maximum quota, and no reason whatever why these leys should not be ploughed.
58. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the dilemma which many farmers find themselves in, as to whether they should plough up grassland towards the end of March, 1940, which cannot secure anything for the 1940 harvest, he will, notwithstanding, advise farmers to do this, since some of it may become productive in 1941?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithI would invite the attention of my hon. Friend to the reply given on 15th March to the Question put to me by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Louth (Lieut.-Colonel Heneage) and in particular to the last paragraph of the reply.
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithIf my hon. Friend will look it up, I think he will find it highly satisfactory.
§ Lord ApsleyWill my right hon. and gallant Friend instruct the county committees to concentrate on giving priority in ploughing to worn-out seed leys before they attempt to plough up valuable permanent pasture?
Mr. De la BèreWill the Minister think de novo on this matter, because I know the answer to which he referred, and I am not satisfied?