§ 8. Mr. MacGregorasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he intends to take in the light of the report on "Land for Agriculture" recently published by the Centre for Agricultural Strategy.
§ Mr. StrangThis is a useful report, which is already arousing interest and stimulating discussion. My Department is studying it.
§ Mr. MacGregorIs the hon. Gentleman aware of Lord Rothschild's comment in introducing this report, that it frightened him to see what we were doing with agricultural land—a commodity as valuable as North Sea oil? Is the hon. Gentleman not concerned about the way that we continue to give up thousands of acres of good agricultural land each year to other uses when non-agricultural land is equally available? Will the hon. Gentleman therefore continue to pursue the suggestion made in the report—not just for consultation with local authorities but that his Ministry should assume full executive responsibility for the transference of agricultural land to other uses, which would strengthen the hands of agriculture against other planners?
§ Mr. StrangI believe that the first report of the Centre for Agricultural Strategy is an important and valuable contribution to the consideration of this very important issue. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we are looking at its conclusions carefully and that, in addition, we shall take into account the conclusions of the Agriculture Economic Development Committee Land Use Group.