5. Mr. Philips Priceasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking in order to prepare the way to implement Section 28 of the White Paper, Long-term Assurances for Agriculture, and to prevent the further creation of uneconomic farming units by the splitting up for speculative purposes of sound agricultural properties.
Mr. AmoryI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. J. E. B. Hill) on Wednesday, 30th January, which amplifies the statement in the White Paper.
Mr. PriceIs it not a fact that it might be wasteful to spend money upon uneconomic holdings under the scheme in Section 28 when the holdings ought to be amalgamated, and there might be a waste of public money? Has the Minister considered that point?
Mr. AmoryI could not agree more with what the hon. Gentleman has said. I am very anxious that we should adopt proper standards about the minimum holdings that would be regarded as economic, otherwise public expenditure would be wasted. In that connection I would remind the hon. Gentleman that we have said that in the case of an amalgamation of two or more holdings which are separately uneconomic and together might make an economic holding we would include certain of the expenses ancillary to amalgamation as eligible for grant.