HC Deb 03 May 1967 vol 746 cc522-3
21 and 22. Mr. Baker

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what addition to the existing acreage of agricultural land in Great Britain will be required to fulfil the requirements of the selective expansion programme of the National Plan, assuming that present levels of productivity are maintained;

(2) whether he will estimate the proportion of the total land area of Great Britain required for agricultural use in 1980.

Mr. John Mackie

The selective expansion programme is based on the maintenance of the rate of increase in the industry's productivity which more than offsets the decline in the acreage of agricultural land. I see no reason why on this basis the objectives of the programme should not be achieved with the present or even a slightly smaller acreage than we have today. I cannot usefully speculate about the longer term position.

Mr. Baker

Can the hon. Gentleman assure us that the essential interests of agriculture will be safeguarded when agricultural land is swallowed up for other purposes and that any arrangement by the Food and Agriculture Organisation for the feeding of undeveloped countries will be borne in mind so that British agriculture can play its part in any possible agreement?

Mr. Mackie

I can give the hon. Member such an assurance on both questions.

Mr. Stodart

To achieve the selective expansion programme, of which beef is a considerable feature, does the hon. Gentleman's reply mean that he expects that the present hill areas will carry a greater number of cattle than so far and that production will be in that way increased?

Mr. Mackie

The hon. Gentleman knows our plans for the hill areas, where we are giving a 50 per cent. grant towards land improvement, have increased the hill cattle subsidy by 25s. and have given a supplement to the drainage subsidy of an extra 10 per cent. All those things should help to improve hill land. If people improve the land, they must intend to do something with it; as the hon. Gentleman knows, that type of land will carry cattle and sheep.