HC Deb 08 May 1958 vol 587 cc1391-2
10. Mr. Philips Price

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, to encourage the consumption of home-grown wheat on the farm and to avoid the necessity of having to sell wheat to get the subsidy, he will consider acreage payment for wheat as at present in the case of oats.

Mr. Godber

I do not think any change is justified at present. Wheat is traditionally a sale crop, but most of the United Kingdom oats crop is consumed on the farms where it is grown. The present arrangements are working smoothly, and it was announced in this year's Annual Review White Paper that a similar scheme would operate for the 1958 harvest.

Mr. Price

Is not it a fact that the present method is very wasteful of time and transport, inasmuch as those who consume on the farms wheat they produce themselves have to go through a complicated procedure whereby it is sold and then bought back again?

Mr. Godber

This is a very debatable question, upon which we could spend a lot of time. There are very different views about it. In general, there are real advantages in the present system, not the least of which is the one which enables us to make a graduated price over the season and, therefore, avoid the danger of a glut just at harvest time.