§ 13. Mr. Peter M. Jacksonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will consider providing additional financial assistance for the construction of farm buildings where such buildings are subject to stringent planning requirements, as in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.
§ Mr. MackieIf a building is being erected with grant-aid we will pay grant on any extra costs imposed by planning requirements provided these are not unreasonably high compared with the agricultural benefit to be derived from the building. In most cases we are able to pay grant on the total cost, but this is as far as we can go.
§ Mr. JacksonI accept the terms of that reply. However, will my hon. Friend endorse the views of my right hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale (Mr. Greenwood), in the admirable publication "Farm Buildings and the Countryside", that large farm buildings increasingly dominate our small-scale landscapes? Is he aware that grant or aid is only 25 per cent. and will he consider increasing it in areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks? In particular, will he consider the reluctance of farmers to meet the additional costs of painting buildings, which I understand may be as high as £200?
§ Mr. SpeakerSupplementary questions are not Adjournment debates.
§ Mr. MackieMy right hon. Friend also pointed out that there was no reason why a silo should not be as beautiful as a windmill. However, I will take note of what my hon. Friend has said about this difficult subject.
§ Sir Harmar NichollsOne part of the hon. Member's answer was somewhat ambiguous. He said that the Ministry would pay the extra cost if the figure was reasonable. If planning considerations mean that it must be an expensive building, should not that be covered by the grant?
§ Mr. MackieUp to now we have paid grant on every occasion when this matter has arisen. There has not been an occasion when we have considered it unreasonable.