§ 6.49 p.m.
§ Mr. Peter Mills (Devon, West)I am grateful for this chance to highlight some of the problems of the countryside, particularly in the South-West. I wish to thank the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for coming to the House at such short notice to reply to this debate.
My first point relates to the loss of agricultural land, which is undoubtedly taking place at an alarming rate. We have a large population which needs to be fed, and it is important that we should take far more notice of what is happening in the countryside, especially when valuable agricultural land is disappearing from the market. I understand that nearly 65,000 acres of land per year is being lost to roads, reservoirs, playing fields, housing and so on.
I ask the Minister to note this loss of agricultural land. I hope that the Ministry will take a much firmer line to see that this land is not lost—and it is lost for ever once it has gone under concrete. I hope that the Minister will strengthen his resolve to ensure that this loss is halted.
In my constituency recently, land was wanted in several places for reservoirs. On land that is flooded, it is impossible to grow food again. Land has also been used for roads and even playing fields. The extension of cities into rural areas also means serious loss of land.
My second point refers to what I call blighted agricultural land, which is a serious problem. Perhaps the Minister has heard of Dr. Alice Coleman and her work. Around our cities can be seen at least a mile, or perhaps two miles, of land that is no longer suitable for agricultural use. There are simply horses grazing there. Farmers face difficulties in farming that land properly when so many people come out of the cities and towns, leave their rubbish and are not very careful about the crops that are growing there. Consequently, there is this blighting of agricultural land all round our cities. As we travel around, we find that it is a fact. If we see horses simply grazing 865 in the fields, we can be sure that that land has been blighted and is no longer of agricultural use. Again, perhaps the Minister will take note of that.
Thirdly, there is the problem of farm accommodation. People, particularly in the South-West, are not only farming the land, but their wives and perhaps their sons and daughters are providing farmhouse accommodation for tourists. They are providing such things as farm museums, which are most interesting, and equestrian centres. The demand for horse riding and pony trekking is growing.
All this is right and proper. It all helps the rural scene and brings more money into the area. But one of the difficulties is—my hon. Friend the Member for Honiton (Mr. Emery) has similar difficulties and would agree with me on this—that we do not have the proper signs directing people to such places. Perhaps the Minister could have a word with the Secretary of State for Transport to see whether the proper signs can be erected, particularly on motorways and other places, directing tourists to such centres and accommodation. This applies not only to farmhouse accomodation but to hotels and restaurants. All over the South-West we find that it is a difficult problem.
Fourthly, there is the problem of caravans. I am not anti-caravan. I used to own a caravan for a long time and thoroughly enjoyed it, but there is no doubt that the numbers of caravans touring around are growing and causing many problems, particularly in the South-West. One way in which the Minister can help is by encouraging planning authorities and others to see that more sites are made available again with signs directing people to them.
In France signs are erected perhaps three, four or five miles away from a caravan site, directing the tourist to the right place. If there were more sites on farm land—properly licensed sites with proper signs directing the tourist to them—we would not have people wandering around, towing their caravans all over the South-West, causing endless bottlenecks and difficulties. Perhaps the Minister could do something to help. He has great powers of persuasion, and therefore if he spoke to the Ministers con- 866 cerned in the other Departments he could do something about it.
I believe that there is great need for further encouragement of forestry, particularly in connection with shelter belts, which help in the production of food and act as shelter for cattle and sheep. It is wrong for us as a nation to neglect forestry considering the enormous amount of timber required.
Much scrub land could be drained and planted with trees. That would have the spin-off of providing more employment and help in rural areas. I believe that that is very important. Perhaps the Minister could encourage the Forestry Commission not to sell off forestry workers' cottages or houses. This merely adds to the depopulation that is occurring. We should encourage forestry where there is scrub land. This would help the whole of the rural scene, stop the depopulation and provide more employment.
We must have a decision on fishing soon from the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. I believe that my hon. Friend the Member for Honiton would agree with me on that. The European Community must come to a decision. Many of the fishermen around the coast of the South-West are deeply concerned about what is happening over fishing limits and all the other problems which need a decision.
As one of the members of the Select Committee on European Legislation, I know also that there is a whole host of legislation which will assist the fishing industry once a major decision is made on fishing limits and so on. I hope that the Minister will encourage his right hon. Friend to get a decision in Brussels on these matters.
Lastly, I am concerned about the depopulation of our rural areas. It is important that we have a prosperous agriculture. The Minister has a role to play here. If we have a prosperous agriculture, depopulation of our rural areas will not continue. I say nothing against retired and elderly people who come into our remoter villages in the West Country. but we want those villages to be filled with people who are working in agriculture. I know that it is difficult to stem the tide, but we must have a prosperous agriculture, which would help stop the depopulation 867 of our villages in the remoter villages of the South-West.
We need a fair end price for our products. We certainly need a knowledge of what is required of the farming scene— the type of production, whether more milk, more cereals, more pigs, more beef or more sheep. The Minister has brought out a White Paper on the subject, but it does not clearly spell out what is required. The agriculturist cannot be expected to guess. He needs encouragement and guidance from the Minister on what is needed.
We certainly need better marketing, as the Minister will agree. As we see in particular when we look at the more sophisticated marketing arrangements in the Community, we need more encouragement of better marketing if we are to have a prosperous agriculture, as well as right end prices and a knowledge of what is needed.
There are two small matters about which I, as a farmer, am very concerned when I look at the rural scene. They are matters that are perhaps forgotten by the House. One is the tremendous drop in the use of lime, which is essential if we are to have the right yields. As you know, Mr. Deputy Speaker, being a farmer as well, one can go on drawing lime out of the ground for some time 868 without putting it back, but then the land starts to become sour. Therefore, I ask the Minister to look again at the problem of lime usage. Otherwise, we shall see the production of our crops start to fall.
The second matter is that of drainage. Because of the very wet weather in the South-West and elsewhere, it is important to look at the matter again. We can see land going back, as we say in Devon. That is very sad, because after a time it becomes sour and useless and does not produce the crops that are required.
If money is tight, if things are difficult in agriculture, one tends to forget about liming land, because one can make do for a bit. One also tends to forget about drainage. But it is absolutely essential to ensure that our drains are kept up to standard and that land does not become waterlogged.
I hope that the Minister will appreciate that I have asked him no difficult questions. I have been seeking to encourage him and his Ministry to do a little more in the various areas that I have suggested. If those things are done, agriculture will be prosperous, which is vital to the nation as a whole. I have said many times in the House, and repeat once more, that the consumer's best friend is a prosperous agriculture.