§ 16. Mr. Stodartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the average income per acre from dairy and cropping farms in Scotland is so much lower than it is in England and Wales; and what action he proposes to take in order to remedy this.
§ Mr. BuchanThe reasons are complex, but an important factor is that soil and climatic conditions tend to restrict the range of crops that can be grown, while the shorter grazing season involves 1712 higher winter feed costs. Cropping farms in Scotland were also particularly adversely affected by the relatively low level of potato prices for the 1965 crop. In dairying, however, the average income per farm has been at about the same level as in England and Wales during the last two years. The economic position of all types and sizes of farm is taken into account in the Annual Review.
§ Mr. StodartDoes not the hon. Member realise that that is a most vacillating reply? Is not he aware that in an appendix to the Agricultural White Paper there are figures that show that since 1963 the income per acre has been halved compared with that of England in one case, and reduced by 50 per cent. in another? When is he going to stop merely looking at the cold print and start doing something about it?
§ Mr. BuchanThat is a most extraordinary question. The hon. Member should know that the whole farming problem has been treated according to the problems of areas—not necessarily on a geographical basis but according to the kind of farm. That is the way in which the differentiation is made. In terms of national differentiation, we are trying to recover the ground lost by the party opposite, for example, in respect of sugar beet, but generally speaking we are dealing with the problem according to the nature of the farm.