HC Deb 17 March 1947 vol 435 cc32-7
Mr. J. S. C. Reid (by Private Notice)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland it in view of the grave conditions arising out of the recent severe snowstorms, he will state what steps he is taking in conjunction with the military and other authorities and otherwise to bring relief to threatened rural communities, their livestock and to re-open communications.

The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Westwood)

I am assured that all practicable steps are being taken to open up communications in the isolated areas. So far as my own Departments are concerned the Department of Agriculture are helping through their tractor service and otherwise in the efforts to open up access to isolated farms and are working in co-operation with the Air Ministry to secure the delivery of feedingstuffs by air in cases of extreme need. The Scottish Home Department are keeping in close touch with the situation through the police and have been able to arrange with the Departments concerned for assistance to be given in cases brought to their notice.

The Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Food as the central Departments responsible for road and rail communications and for food supplies are giving all possible help to the local authorities in dealing with their difficulties. The military authorities have met all requests for assistance in providing men and tractor vehicles for the clearance of railways and roads and for the delivery of food and medical supplies, and supplies have also been dropped by air.

Mr. Reid

The right hon. Gentleman says that the military authorities have met all requests. Were those requests made early enough to ensure that all possible bulldozers and similar vehicles were obtained for the purpose of clearing the way?

Mr. Westwood

As the result of consultations which I had by telephone as far back as 8th and 9th March with the hon. and gallant Member for Forfar (Major Ramsay), I then gave instructions that every and all possible assistance should be given immediately, wherever the requests were made, if at all possible, for the purpose of dealing with this terrific problem with which we were faced as the result of the snowstorms in Scotland.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

Will the right hon. Gentleman also undertake to review at an early date the price arrangements for mutton and wool, because obviously the hill farmers struck with disaster will be greatly prejudiced by the arrangements previously reached?

Mr. Westwood

That is an entirely different question from the one of which I have received private notice.

Mr. Nicholson

Would it be in Order, Mr. Speaker, to try to induce the Minister of Agriculture to state what steps have been taken in England, because this affects England and Wales as well as Scotland?

Mr. Speaker

There was a Question down about England today, and I allowed the Question about Scotland because I understood that Scotland has had a very bad storm indeed.

Mr. Nicholson

Will it be in Order, then, for me to ask the Minister of Agriculture if he can make a similar statement for England and Wales?

Mr. Speaker

He will have had no notice of that, and besides it would not be relevant to this Question, which deals with Scotland.

Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

May I ask the Minister what he is going to do about places under water?

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Would the Minister tell us what efforts are being made in the Glenshee area, because reports from there are very distressing? I am told that they will have to pay for Air Force assistance. Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether that is correct or not? Further, may I ask him whether special steps are being taken by him with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport to ensure that emergency methods are adopted to get rid of Scottish seed potatoes for the English market as soon as possible after they are taken out of the clamp?

Mr. Westwood

In answer to the last part of the question, we have already taken the necessary action. So far as the distribution of seed potatoes is concerned, I cannot go into details by question and answer as to all the actions I have taken and all the actions my Department has taken with a view to meeting the emergency with which we are faced at present. My first objective was to see that people have food. I am going into the question of cost, and who is to pay, after.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

May we take from the Secretary of State's reply that the claims of those who have taken individual action and hired aeroplanes of one kind or another from private sources, will also be taken into consideration when he finally reviews the situation?

Mr. Westwood

I cannot answer that question without notice.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

Will the Minister give it sympathetic consideration? At the present moment, those who are faced with this very great emergency are obviously handicapped by not knowing whether they will or will not be refunded if they secure private transport to carry the feeding stuffs without which the livestock will perish?

Mr. Westwood

Without prejudice to any decision at which I shall finally arrive, I am always willing, as the right hon. and gallant Gentleman knows, to give consideration to any point put to me from any part of the House.

Mr. Butler

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. Is it possible for the Minister of Agriculture to read out the equivalent answer with regard to England?

Mr. Speaker

indicated assent.

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Thomas Williams)

The only answer that I need give is that every conceivable assistance has been given by the Department and county executive committees to get food from surplus areas to deficit areas, and to help those who are in grave need at this particular moment, and no effort has been spared to meet all the needs as far as weather conditions permit

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

Would the Minister say in regard to England also that those who are taking individual action—because often the emergency is very severe and it may be too long to wait for Service assistance—in order to save the lives of the livestock will have their claims sympathetically considered by the Minister at a later date if this subject is being regularised?

Mr. Williams

As the right hon. and gallant Gentleman is aware, I am not aware of any individual actions; I am only aware of actions taken by the Department and county executive cornrnittees on behalf of the Department.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

If I may press the Minister upon that point—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] This is a matter affecting the life and death of many hundreds of animals in the country. I was asking the Minister if action taken outside the county executives on the individual initiative of a farmer to bring assistance and food to his livestock would also be sympathetically considered as the Secretary of State for Scotland has just promised it will be.

Mr. Williams

The right hon. and gallant Gentleman must know, as a predecessor of mine, that no Minister can accept responsibility for individual actions of which he is not aware.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

I do wish to press the Minister —[HON. MEMBERS: "Order."]

Mr. Nicholson

I want to ask the Minister about the steps that are being taken to secure supplies of foodstuffs to areas distressed in this manner. A great deal has been done by the National Farmers' Union. Can he assure the House that his Department is not leaving everything to the N.F.U. in this respect?

Mr. Williams

Quite clearly I can assure the hon. Member that the Department and the executive committees are doing the job with all the assistance the N.F.U. can provide. The hon. Member must know that we have not only used aeroplanes, but also fleets of lorries, which have been taken from one side of the country to another to try to meet the urgent need.

Mr. Collins

In some areas, rations of teedingstuffs have not yet been fully claimed by the farmers. Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that there is sufficient information in regard to what is available to the county committees and the farmers?

Mr. Williams

I am quite sure that the average farmer knows exactly to what he is entitled in regard to feedingstuffs and assistance from the county committees.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that he will get all the Scottish seed potatoes needed in England?

Mr. Williams

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has informed the House that adequate steps have been taken to ensure that adequate supplies of transport are available when the potatoes are located.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

I wish to press the Minister on this point. He says he is satisfied that the farmers know. Has a broadcast been made by the Minister? It is not in every case that farmers, let us say in the remote Welsh valleys, know what arrangements there are, and to what extent they can rely on assistance instead of going to the executive committees. In many cases, if the farmer knows that in general action taken by him to save the lives of his stock will be sympathetically considered he will take such action instead of going to the county committee which may mean a matter of a day or a week and in many cases might entail the life or death of many animals.

Mr. Williams

I am sure the right hon. Gentleman is carrying this point too far. I cannot imagine any farmer or farm-worker delaying in the help he may give sheep, cattle or lambs until he gets a reply from the Minister.

Lieut-Colonel Elliot

rose—

Mr. Speaker

We cannot debate this matter further.