§ 28. Mr. Stodartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of the 1965 Price Review award of between £10 million and £11 million he estimates will go to farmers in Scotland.
§ Mr. RossThe Annual Review award is related to United Kingdom agriculture as a whole and it is not possible to say precisely how particular parts of the United Kingdom may eventually benefit.
§ Mr. StodartAs this information is published by his own Department in one or its publications every year, is it not extraordinary that the Secretary of State is unable to anticipate it? At least, he should tell the House how much of the award—I am sure that he knows this—was attributable to the increased hill sheep subsidy?
§ Mr. RossThe hill sheep subsidy taken this time within the Price Review for the whole of the United Kingdom was about £2 million, and of that—this is calculable—about £1 million is, I think, in respect of Scotland.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Chancellor's problem is to get money for these subsidies, and the farmers I represent are anxious to know where the money is to come from if the Opposition refuse to vote it?
§ Mr. RossIt is not unusual for this Opposition to applaud the purpose and then vote against the money.
§ Mr. George Y. MackieIs the Secretary of State aware that one cannot get milk from a dead cow, and we ought to nourish the goose which lays the golden eggs?
§ Mr. RossAll I could hear of that was something about milk from dead cows and then something about golden eggs. After that mixture of metaphors, I think we could even bring in, "tak' the breeks aff a Hielanman".
§ Mr. StodartIs not the Secretary of State rather distressed at having made himself party to the rather squalid subterfuge of including the hill sheep subsidy in the agricultural Price Review in order to try to put a polish on a rather drab award?
§ Mr. RossThe hon. Gentleman should have polished that sentence a bit before he tried to say it. The award is respectable, it is adequate, and it was related to the needs of the industry and to the circumstances of the country.