HC Deb 12 April 1956 vol 551 cc374-5
20. Mr. Peyton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the operation of the ploughing-up grant and fertiliser subsidy, in order to ascertain how far these payments are of benefit to the small farmer.

Mr. Amory

I am satisfied that most small farmers derive benefit from the fertiliser subsidy and a substantial number from the ploughing-up grant. I doubt whether a review would be useful.

Mr. Peyton

Would my right hon. Friend, in considering the very difficult problems, consider whether there is a very considerable inequity between, say, the big arable farmer, who derives the normal benefit from the ploughing grant, and the small dairy farmer, who really gets none at all?

Mr. Amory

It is difficult to even these things out; I agree with my hon. Friend about that. However, we do our best to do it, and I think that every small farmer obtains substantial benefits of one kind or another from the production grants though not all of them necessarily do so from the same production grant.

Mr. Champion

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied with the operation of the ploughing grant subsidy in view of the fact that the tillage acreage is falling so rapidly?

Mr. Amory

That is, of course, one of the reasons why we increased the rate of ploughing-up grant last year. I hope very much that the shrinkage in the tillage area will be halted as a result of that and other measures put in hand.

Mr. T. Williams

As there has been no extension of the ploughing of grassland but a shrinkage to the extent of 500,000 acres, does it not now look as though all those people who are ploughing up grassland would do so even if there were no subsidy at all for it?

Mr. Amory

I do not think so. I think that the subsidy is serving a very useful purpose, and the right hon. Gentleman will agree that, apart from ploughing up and putting down cereals, if good leys are put down, that may be of the utmost value to the future of agriculture.

Commander Maitland

Will my right hon. Friend particularly consider the drainage grant and the anomaly which affects the small farmer who does not get the full grant if he has to do the work himself? Is he not the very man we ought to be helping?

Mr. Amory

I know of that difficulty to which my hon. and gallant Friend draws my attention, and I have it under consideration, but to alter the position would involve legislation.