HC Deb 11 September 1941 vol 374 c298
48. Mr. De la Bère

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will now make a statement showing what has been done to reduce the average rate of interest charged to agricultural borrowers to a lesser rate of interest than 5 per cent.?

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. R. S. Hudson)

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Carnarvon (Major Owen) on 19th December, 1940.

Mr. De la Bère

Is my right hon. Friend aware that these problems will not outwear themselves and that some steps must be taken to find a solution? Is it not the case that up to the present the Government have been unwilling to make any concession in order to find a solution?

Mr. Hudson

There is evidence that our agricultural price policy has enabled the farming community to reduce its dependance on borrowed money.

Mr. De la Bère

But the interest is still too high.