HC Deb 31 January 1968 vol 757 cc1342-4
29. Mr. Baker

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied as to the level of the incentives to the Scottish agricultural, fishing and forestry industries to expand in the national interest; if he will given an assurance that they will be exempted from the cut-backs in public expenditure: and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ross

The level of incentives for agriculture will be closely scrutinised during the Annual Review. I cannot anticipate the outcome. As to the fishing industry, I have nothing to add to the reply that my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food gave to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 24th January. The rate of grants for private forestry under the dedication and related schemes is under review.

As to the second part of the Question, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply he received from my hon. Friend, the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 24th January.—[Vol. 757, c. 398, Vol. 757, c. 111.]

Mr. Baker

I thank the Minister for that reply. Does he agree that, with a good deal more sympathetic help from the Government, the resources of Scotland could supply much of the food which we now import?

Mr. Ross

I note what the hon. Gentleman says. I am sure that he will not expect a reply in advance of the outcome of the review.

Mr. Rankin

Is my right hon. Friend aware that up to £10 a day is now charged in many Scottish rivers for a day's salmon fishing? Does he think that that helps to increase the food supply for Scotland or the fishing owners' rights? Can he do anything to deal with those charges?

Mr. Ross

That is a little outside the Question on the fishing industry here, but I assure my hon. Friend that we have been looking into it under the Hunter Report. There is another Question on the Order Paper to which I am giving an Answer today. But I could tell my hon. Friend of other rivers where he could fish for a lot less than £10 a day.

Mr. Stodart

Although the right hon. Gentleman has been obliged to go into purdah on the subject of the Review, will he admit that the fall in Scotland's food output in the past three years must show that the present incentives are totally inadequate?

Mr. Ross

That fall may not be related to incentives. The hon. Gentleman will remember the bad autumn for hill farming which we had about two years ago. That was not related to incentives but rather to the weather of the previous winter.

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