HC Deb 11 February 1970 vol 795 cc1239-40
14. Mr. Jopling

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to meet farmers' leaders in the north of England.

Mr. Cledwyn Hughes

I and the Parliamentary Secretaries see as many farmers in the regions as we can, and I am par- ticularly anxious to visit the North as soon as I can.

Mr. Jopling

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that in the north country farmers have been particularly badly hit in recent years—in particular, that a drop of over 1 million in the number of sheep has hit them very hard indeed? Does he realise that they want to see him to explain how hard things are for them? Will he make early arrangements to go and see them, even if it means that he will have to creep out through a back door once again?

Mr. Hughes

I am anxious at all times to visit the regions and have discussions with working farmers. This is the point of all the visits which my two colleagues at the Ministry and I pay. The Joint Parliamentary Secretaries visited the North four times last year, and I was in Yorkshire for a short time. But I take the point made by the hon. Gentleman.

Mr. William Price

If my right hon. Friend goes to the North, will he explain to farmers that, under the recently announced Tory policy, if they force him out through the back door, far from getting increased subsidies, they are likely to end up "inside"?

Mr. Gibson-Watt

When planning visits to different parts of the country, will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that the visitors do not include the Home Secretary, who last week spread alarm and despondency in South-West Wales? Will the Minister now tell us whether or not he agrees with the remarks about small farmers made by the Home Secretary?

Mr. Hughes

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is very knowledgeable about agriculture. He represents the interests of Northern Ireland agriculture and puts them forward forcibly and successfully. Attention should be paid to what my right hon. Friend said last week to the official delegations of the agriculture industry which visited him in Haverfordwest and Cardigan and not to a chance encounter in the street and a garbled version in the Press.