§ 25. Mr. Price (for Mr. John Morgan)asked the Minister of Agriculture what representations he has received from either county war agricultural committees or district committees attached to them, to the effect that the recently announced farm commodities price policy of the Government will make it difficult for such committees to secure the increased ploughed acreage required for the season 1940–41; and what steps has he in mind to meet such a situation?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture (Mr. T. Williams)My right hon. Friend receives reports on many matters from county war agricultural executive committees, but as these committees and their district committees are working as his agents, in conjunction with officers of the Department, their reports are naturally confidential. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the conditions which have now been created by the Government, namely, a guaranteed market at guaranteed prices for the principal products of the farm, coupled with the stabilisation of prices of feeding-stuffs and fertilisers, are such as to ensure a reasonable return to farmers for the contribution which they are being asked to make to the national war effort. My right hon. Friend feels confident that farmers will, in fact, be prepared to do their utmost in securing the necessary increase in the tillage area for the harvest of 1941.