§ 6. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the continuing high level of food imports in spite of the imports substitution policy, and the trade deficit of £52 million in February, what further measures of imports substitution by home produced food he now proposes.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesOur agricultural programme is based on the expansion of home production, which is technically feasible with an economic use of resources. Our objective is to secure increased import saving of £160 million a year by 1972–73. Progress will be examined at successive Annual Reviews.
§ Sir G. NabarroI know all about that. Would the right hon. Gentleman apply himself to this simple and straightforward proposition? If his import substitution policy for food is the hilarious success that he claims for it, why is it that our balance of payments progressively declines month by month?
§ Mr. HughesNo one has referred to a hilarious success. The only thing that is hilarious is the hon. Gentleman. We are succeeding in getting continuous progress. Over the last few years the increased demand for temperate foodstuffs has increasingly been met from home production. I am satisfied that the selective expansion programme will continue to do good work.
§ Mr. GodberIn view of yesterday's unhappy trade figures, is the Minister not extremely disappointed with his inability at the Price Review to implement his policies of last November? Would he now take some special fresh initiative to help farmers to get ahead with expansion? In particular, will he apply his 1378 attention to the problem of capital and the very high cost of getting credit?
§ Mr. HughesI appreciate the import-saving rôle that agriculture can fulfil. Our policies are directed to this end, as the right hon. Gentleman knows. We have concentrated on the main commodities for import saving—beef, cereals and pig meat. I believe that we can get the results. The right hon. Gentleman and the House will appreciate that in agriculture we cannot expect results overnight.
§ Mr. HughesWe must wait for a period of time. For example, the beef cycle is a three-year cycle, and everyone except the hon. and gallant Member for Knutsford (Sir W. Bromley-Davenport) knows this.