Hill Sheep Farming

HC Deb 11 March 1970 vol 797 cc1326-7

14. Mr. Turton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the heavy losses suffered by hill sheep farmers during the last two years from inclement weather on the moors and fast drivers on the moor roads; and what action he intends to take to make this form of farming profitable.

Mr. Hoy

Much as I sympathise with individual farmers who have suffered losses, I must remind the hon. Member that the Government do not guarantee farmers against hazards of bad weather or accident. The economic position of the industry is being examined as part of the current Annual Review.

Mr. Turton

The Government have introduced legislation in the Animals Bill that will throw heavy additional burdens on many such sheep farmers. Will that additional cost be taken into account in the Price Review? Will the hon. Gentleman make that clear? Otherwise, many sheep farmers will be driven out of sheep farming in the very near future.

Mr. Hoy

I am certain that the right hon. Gentleman knows, because he was in Government long enough to know, that any costs that have to be borne in agriculture are taken into account at the Annual Price Review.

Mr. Peter M. Jackson

Does my hon. Friend agree that far too many such holdings are too small for commercial viability? Perhaps the problem to which the right hon. Gentleman referred could be more efficaciously solved by more generous terms in the farm amalgamation scheme.

Mr. Hoy

I do not altogether agree with the first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question. The Government have taken steps, including the promotion of legislation, to help amalgamations, and we hope that this will play a considerable part in helping to solve this problem.

Mr. Brewis

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that a higher price is needed for the hill farmers to keep a proper land use balance between hill farming and forestry?

Mr. Hoy

I think that the hon. Gentleman would not disagree that over the past three or four Reviews there have been fairly decent increases in the end price. We must consider this matter in the same way to see whether we require to do any more about it.