65. Mr. De la Béreasked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is the Government's intention to adhere to the lines of the policy accepted at the Hot Springs Conference, which advocated concerted specialisation for agriculture and a planned expansion of an effective world demand; or to continue the existing 29 system of food subsidies and to expand them further to enable farmers to earn a fair return and to pay the farm workers an adequate wage.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsThe two parts of the hon. Member's Question are not, as he rather suggests, incompatible alternatives. The answer to both is "Yes, Sir." I would refer the hon. Member to the early part of my statement of agricultural policy in this House on 15th November last.
Mr. De la BéreIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware of the existing gap between farm costs and farm prices? Is he further aware that the agricultural community must know where they stand? At the present time, although it is as urgent as any in our history, no one in the agricultural community knows where he stands at all.
§ Mr. WilliamsI assure the hon. Member that farmers in this country never stood on firmer ground than they do at present.