Farm Business Recording Scheme (Hansard, 19 May 1965)

§ 23. Mr. Jopling
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now announce details of the Farm Business Recording Scheme; and in which areas it will operate during 1965 and 1966.

§ Mr. Peart
I intend to introduce pilot schemes in Norfolk, Staffordshire and Cheshire later this year and to extend the Scheme to other areas in 1966. The details are being worked out in consultation with the farmers' unions, and I will make a further announcement as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Jopling
Is the Minister aware that the three areas which he has mentioned should be among the last parts of the country where this sort of service is needed? Is he not aware that there are certain parts of the country where the land is not good, where it is too good to qualify for the hill subsidies and where this sort of help and scheme would be of the utmost use? Will the Minister reconsider the areas which he has announced and consider others which should come within this category? If he wants a suggestion, I should like to suggest Westmorland.

§ Mr. Peart
Obviously, the hon. Member rightly has a bias towards Westmorland, as indeed I have towards Cumberland. The reason why I made the decision about the three counties was simply that work on farm business recording has already been done in these three counties and it is, therefore, possible to make a start in those areas. That is not to say that other areas will be excluded. If we get off to a good start in these three areas, and especially as work has commenced previously, it will be to the advantage also of other areas.

§ Mr. Snow
In the case of Staffordshire and the other two areas which my hon. Friend has mentioned, could Members of Parliament be kept in the picture about the procedure to be followed, since we are frequently consulted about this matter by farmers in our constituencies?

§ Mr. Peart
Perhaps my hon. Friend will inform his farmer friends that I am consulting the National Farmers' Union on this matter. When I have worked out full details, I shall make an announcement and my hon. Friend certainly will be kept informed. I always try to keep hon. Members, on both sides, informed of what I am doing—and with success.

§ Sir M. Redmayne
Will the announcement be made in written form? Will there be a White Paper?

§ Mr. Peart
I should prefer to wait and see the final report which comes to me after consultation. If a White Paper seems suitable, I will consider whether one should be published. It may be necessary only to make a statement or to reply to a Question in the House.