HC Deb 31 March 1965 vol 709 cc1642-4
19. Mr. Charles Morrison

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to extend the agricultural advisory services.

Mr. John Mackie

Steps are being taken to strengthen the National Agricultural Advisory Service by some 50 posts primarily to give greater emphasis to the farm business management approach to advisory work.

My right hon. Friend also proposes gradually to extend the veterinary investigation service by setting up six more veterinary investigation centres and enlarging eight existing centres to serve as focal points for veterinary investigation services in each region.—[Interruption.] The agricultural land service is currently under review. I am sorry if the hon. Member had difficulty in hearing what I was saying, but he will have to take that up with his hon. Friends.

Mr. Morrison

Would not the hon. Gentleman agree that farmers make first-class use of the advisory services as they now exist? Would not he agree that there is an increasing demand for better services, particularly in view of last year's Price Review, and will he say what sort of advice he would give to the advisory services on how to advise the farmers to overcome the disadvantages of the 1965 Price Review?

Mr. Mackie

I think I gave that advice to the hon. Member for Horncastle (Sir J. Maitland) in answer to a Question a few moments ago. I do not think it would help Mr. Speaker to get on with Questions if I went into detail about how to increase production and the advice which could be given. I agree with what the hon. Gentleman said about the use of the advisory services. It would behove all farmers to make far more use of the services, and the more use that is made of them the more we can increase the value of the services.

Sir J. Maitland

In view of the Minister's determination to run down good agricultural land as expressed to me just now in an Answer to a Question, may I ask whether he will take the advice of his advisory services?

Mr. Mackie

I can assure the hon. Member that I could produce findings from Rothamsted and from the Macaulay Research Institute to show that the application of artificial fertilisers does not run down the land.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Hill, Question No. 22.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I ask your advice about why Question No. 20 has been omitted.

Mr. Speaker

It was answered with Question No. 13.

Mr. Peart

I answered the hon. Member's Question.

Later—

Mr. Ian Gilmour

On a point of order. The Minister distinctly said, in answering Question No. 13, that he was answering it with Question No. 29—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I quite understand the inconvenience which has arisen. The Minister actually said "With Nos. 20 and 9", but a lot of people thought that he said "No. 29". That is why we got in a muddle.

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