HC Deb 23 June 1971 vol 819 cc1412-3
20. Mr. David Steel

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will seek to introduce a hill lamb subsidy.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

I consider that the hill ewe subsidy is a more suitable method of encouraging the maintenance of foundation stocks, particularly on the poorer hill land.

Mr. Steel

Would the hon. Gentleman accept that his reply is disappointing in view of the encouraging remarks which were made in the Scottish Grand Committee on Tuesday of last week? Is he also aware that many people in the hill areas of Scotland believe that in order to compete with forestry interests there must be more finance, and that a hill lamb subsidy would be one method of putting in finance related to productivity, which the Government want?

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

If the hon. Gentleman would look at what I said in the Scottish Grand Committee a week ago he will find that I said that we had looked at this matter and that it presented severe administrative difficulties. If a subsidy such as the hon. Gentleman suggests were confined to lambs, it would put at a disadvantage those farmers on poorer land who faced adverse conditions and who had a poorer lamb crop than others on better land. This point has a bearing on the matter.

Mr. Clark Hutchison

Could my hon. friend say what is the hill lamb subsidy in the Common Market?

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

My hon. Friend will be interested to learn that, although lambs and sheep are not a commodity covered under the common agricultural policy at present, the French Government pay a subsidy for the retention of ewe lambs for breeding purposes.