§ 3. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase in output of review commodities has occurred since devaluation of sterling in November, 1967; and what has been the aggregate value of such increases, as imports substitute and saving.
Mr. HughesAgricultural output can only be assessed over a full farm year, and it is not, therefore, possible to make such estimates.
§ Sir G. NabarroDoes the hon. Gentleman recall that, on 16th January last, I put to the Prime Minister that the saving potential of imports on British agriculture was £250 million a year within four years? The day before yesterday, the Economic Development Council published the figure of £220 million per annum imports saving within four years. Cannot the right hon. Gentleman give us some encouragement that we are making real and rapid progress towards this massively important objective?
Mr. HughesI am always anxious to give the hon. Gentleman encouragement, although I do not know how much good chat will do. It is obvious that he has not studied the Government's selective expansion programme. The report to 418 which he referred is very important and we are studying it carefully.
§ Mr. GodberAre the Government still committed to the expansion of home production? If so, is their target that to which the right hon. Gentleman just referred, namely, the one in the National Plan, or is it now to be the higher figure given by the agricultural "Neddy"? Whichever it is, will he do something to stimulate increased production?
Mr. HughesThe present programme is, of course, the selective expansion programme, but the right hon. Gentleman knows that the report of the "Little Neddy" has just been published and therefore we must have time to consider this because it has considerable implications. Also, the Select Committee on Agriculture has considered this matter and we shall need to consider what it says. We shall bear in mind all these considerations, but obviously they must take a little time to consider.