§ 14. Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many agricultural workers were registered unemployed in each of the last three years in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YoungerIn August 1981—the latest date for which informtion is available—4,748 people who last worked in the agriculture and horticulture industries were registered as unemployed in Scotland. The corresponding figures for 1980 and 1979 were 3,365 and 2,505 respectively. We are well aware of the implications of the decline in agricultural employment for rural communities and this is, of course, taken into account in our wider economic and social policies for these areas.
§ Mr. SteelHow do those figures break down? To what extent is it possible to blame the lack of profitability in the hill and upland sector of farming for the increase in the figures? I suspect that that is the cause.
§ Mr. YoungerA great deal is probably due to improved productivity in agriculture. I have no doubt that the series of bad years that Scottish farming has suffered has had some effect on the number of those employed in the industry. Even the right hon. Gentleman would not accuse the Government of failing to help the farming industry. We have devalued the green pound three times and provided the highest ever hill livestock compensatory amounts.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonAs a significant number of those made redundant by Scottish farmers have been put out of their houses, will the Secretary of State consider reviewing the tied housing law in Scotland, particularly in view of the opinions recently expressed by both sides of the Scottish farming industry?
§ Mr. YoungerI pay tribute to the work that the farming industry, the National Farmers Union and others have done on this subject. I should have thought that the hon. Gentleman would know better than most people that if someone who is required to work on a farm leaves his job, it is essential that someone else should be employed to do the work. Otherwise, farming cannot continue.
§ Mr. John McKayWas my right hon. Friend as surprised as I was to read that the Scottish National Party's Member of the European Parliament representing the Highlands and Islands allied herself with the Fianna Fail party in signing a motion to the great detriment of British agriculture? That motion, if adopted, would diminish the benefits that flow to British agriculture from the Common Market.
§ Mr. YoungerI share my hon. Friend's mystification about the activities of that Member of the European Parliament, who seems to be part of the Gaullist group in the EEC. However, her reading cannot have been effective if she thinks that the Government have neglected farming, because the reverse is true.
§ Mr. Gordon WilsonWill the Minister and the hon. Member for Argyll (Mr. MacKay) bring their knowledge up to date by reading the newspapers? If they had been up to date, they would have known that Mrs. Winifred Ewing did not sign that motion.
§ Mr. YoungerI am fascinated to hear what Mrs. Ewing has not signed, and I am also interested to see what she has signed. They are often in conflict with one another.
§ Mr. MillanDid the Secretary of State miss the point about tied houses? We understand the legitimate needs of farmers, but those who are displaced also have needs. The English legislation seems to be working satisfactorily. I understand that the National Farmers Union in Scotland is now persuaded that similar legislation could operate in Scotland. Why cannot the Minister consider that?
§ Mr. YoungerI shall be glad to consider that. I should be particularly interested to know whether the right hon. Gentleman lends his support to it. I have another good reason for taking a careful look at the situation, and I shall do so.