§ 3. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what additional output of British food during the last 12 months, measured in millions of pounds, has contributed to the balance of payments compared with the preceding 12 months; and what is the result to date of the policy of imports substitution.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. John Mackie)These figures are not yet available for the past farm year. Our expansion programme aims to take up the major part of the increase in demand. Comparison of production with imports of temperate foods shows that this is being achieved.
§ Sir G. NabarroFrom what source can we prove the efficacy of the Minister's policy in view of the much vaunted 987 claims by Government spokesmen that import substitution in agriculture is succeeding so wildly?
§ Mr. MackieIf I may offer the hon. Gentleman some advice, he should take not one year as a criterion but several years, which is the only way to do it in agriculture. Taking 1964–65 to 1967–68, he will find that food production has risen by 2½ per cent. against the rise in imports of 1 per cent.