§ 15. Sir P. Robertsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the value of imported barley from dollar areas and other areas, respectively, and the value of barley exported during the last twelve months or nearest convenient date.
§ Mr. NugentThe value of imports of barley from dollar areas and from other areas in 1955 was £21,598,000 and £2,404,000 respectively. The value of barley exports in 1955 was £2,310,000.
§ Sir P. RobertsIn view of the need to grow more barley at home, is this not one of the cases where a restriction on imports, particularly from dollar sources, might well be applied?
§ Mr. NugentA restriction on imports would leave livestock feeders in this country with insufficient feeding stuffs to feed their livestock.
§ Mr. F. WilleyIs the Joint Parliamentary Secretary aware that his right hon. Friend has called attention to this disastrous position, that it is solely the result of Government policy, and that the onus is on the Government to put it right?
§ Mr. NugentIt is not the result of Government policy. It is a matter for each individual farmer to decide what he can best grow on his farm and how he can best use his fields. We are encouraging him to grow more barley where he can.