§ 46. Mr. Turtonasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the weather conditions that have prevented work on the land in recent months, he will postpone the discontinuance of the subsidy towards the cost of spreading lime from 31st March, 1951, to 31st May, 1951.
Mr. T. WilliamsNo, but I would remind the hon. Member that the spreading contribution will be paid in respect of lime that was delivered to farms by the 31st March, 1951, and to that extent postponement of the actual spreading owing to the weather conditions will not have affected the amount of subsidy payable.
§ Mr. TurtonIs the Minister aware that in the method of spreading by contract the lime is not brought on to the farm until the spreading operations begin, and that it is estimated that 200,000 tons of lime under contract have not been spread owing to the exceptional weather conditions?
Mr. WilliamsUnfortunately, we could not foresee what the weather conditions were likely to be when the Order was made on 23rd March, 1951.
§ Mr. M. Philips PriceIs my right hon. Friend aware that farmers who placed orders for lime as far back as last autumn have been unable to do anything with it owing to the state of the ground?
§ Major Sir Thomas DugdaleThat is just the point. Cannot the Minister ease the problem so that the farmers will get the lime on to the farms as soon as weather permits?
§ Mr. R. S. HudsonCould not the right hon. Gentleman make a new Order?
§ Mr. TurtonIs the Minister aware that if he does not amend the Order it will cause uncertainty and confusion to a great many contracts, and that on 23rd March when he made the Order, the effects of the weather were quite apparent to everyone in the country?