§ 31. Sir J. Gilmourasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what acreage of sugar beet has been sown in the Cupar factory area of the British Sugar 394 Corporation this year and how this compares with the acreage sown in the two previous years at the same time in the season.
§ Mr. NobleAs at 24th April this year 9,350 acres of sugar beet had been sown in the Cupar factory area. This compares with 9,193 acres sown at 26th April, 1963, and 15,417 acres at 27th April, 1962.
§ Sir J. GilmourWould my right hon. Friend agree that while Scottish sugar beet growers should be congratulated in a difficult spring in getting so much sown, the figures since 1962 show that there is great need to review the price paid to beet growers in Scotland and possibly to reintroduce the transport subvention which used to be paid?
§ Mr. NobleThat, as my hon. Friend knows, will be a question to come up at the February Price Review next year. The sugar beet growers had a particularly bad year last year because of the weather and other factors. This will have had some influence on the amount of beet planted this year.