§ 4. Mr. Peter Walkerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will seek to amend the Agriculture Act, 1957, with a view to providing longer-term guarantees for British agriculture.
§ 57. Mr. Hazellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to provide price guarantees over a longer period of time.
§ Mr. PeartI am satisfied that the Agriculture Acts of 1947 and 1957 provide adequate guarantees for the stability of the industry, and I see no need for amending legislation.
§ Mr. WalkerWould the right 8hon. Gentleman at least consider looking at the individual commodities to see whether further stability cannot be given to British agriculture by extending some of the three-year guarantees to perhaps five years?
§ Mr. PeartI am always prepared to look at legislation to see whether we can make improvements. As I have said, we are a new Administration; we have a much more progressive outlook and will look forward.
§ Mr. HazellDoes my right hon. Friend intend to introduce any long-term planning for agriculture?
§ Mr. PeartYes, Sir. The Government are considering forward planning for the country as a whole and agriculture will, naturally, play its part in this planning.
§ Mr. SoamesIs it not within the right hon. Gentleman's memory that during the General Election he made much of the fact that he intended to introduce five-year plans for agriculture? How 355 would these fit in with the 1947 and 1957 Acts, which laid down that there shall be an Annual Review?
§ Mr. PeartThe principle of long-term planning seeking to put agriculture into the broad expansion of the economy, to give it security and to have this forward look would in no way conflict with the Price Review negotiations or the fundamental concepts of not only the 1957 Act but also the 1947 Act.