§ 32. Mr. Priorasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the number of acres drained under drainage grants during the last year; and whether he is satisfied with the rate of progress.
The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. W. M. F. Vane)In 1960, farm under-drainage schemes benefited some 110,000 acres. Information about the total acreage benefitting from all drainage work is not available. I can, however, tell my hon. Friend that grant-aid from the Department towards farm drainage schemes rose from £1⅔ million in 1958–9 to nearly £2½ million in 1959–60, and towards arterial drainage schemes from £2¾ million to £3⅓ million. This is good progress, but there is still much work to be done.
§ Mr. PriorIf, as I am certain he does, the Joint Parliamentary Secretary wishes to help small farmers in the improvement of their farms, he will realise that good drainage is the basic essential of all good farming. Will he not consider an increase in the grant, from 50 per cent. to some higher figure, to encourage this further?
Mr. VaneOf course, it is realised that good drainage is important for any farming, but 50 per cent. is a substantial proportion of the cost of the work involved, and I think that very good reasons would have to be put forward before we could consider increasing it.