§ 30. Mr. Bostonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider ending the system of annual agricultural Price Reviews and replacing it by some other system.
§ Mr. PeartNo, Sir. The Government, like the farmers, value these annual consultations on the economic condition and prospects of the agricultural industry. But as already announced, studies are taking place about what part in the longer-term agriculture should play in the national economic development plan.
§ Mr. BostonDoes not my right hon. Friend feel that there may be some merit in the idea of dealing with individual commodities as the need arises, and will he give further consideration to this idea as an alternative possibility?
§ Mr. PeartI am a great believer in the 1947 Act, whose principles were reinforced, or at least confirmed, by the 1957 Act. I think that the procedure is right. On the other hand, we must 1450 look at the industry from a long-term point of view and that is what we intend to do in relation to the national economic plan.
§ Mr. StaintonDoes not the right hon. Gentleman recall that at the time of the debate on the Price Review suggestions were made from this side of the House to the effect that it might be worth considering having a review triennially instead of every year? What does he think about that proposal now that he has had time to consider it?
§ Mr. PeartI have said that I am anxious to think in terms of a longterm approach to the industry. This is why we are having consultations about the place of agriculture in the national economic plan. However, the discussions about income go on through our Annual Review procedure each year and this is the right way.
§ Mr. LiptonIs not this annual haggle more reminiscent of an Oriental bazaar than the dignified precincts of Whitehall? Could not we devise some better system to deal with problems as they arise and to fit them into the long-term policy which our excellent Government have in mind?
§ Mr. PeartI am anxious that there shall be a long-term plan and in my own White Paper at the time of the last Price Review I indicated a longterm policy towards hill land farming and other matters. That is right. I do not regard discussions about the Price Review as resembling a Persian market, or some other market abroad. For my part, I am certain that we and the producers carry on our discussions with great dignity.
§ Sir M. RedmayneBut is it not a fact that the Price Review was wholly subject to an unknown forecast of what the national economic plan was to be? How, then, could there possibly be any fruitful discussion at the moment until we know what the national economic plan as a whole is?
§ Mr. PeartI can only tell the right hon. Gentleman that the producers are anxious to have negotiations on this subject. Indeed, we shall be discussing with them the place of the industry in the national economic plan. I see nothing inconsistent about that.