§ 4. Mr. Chapmanasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has had to his consultation letter setting out proposals for change to the agricultural land classification maps, as announced in his parliamentary answer on 5 May to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Jerry Wiggin)As always, my hon. Friend is ahead of events. I cannot comment on the response until all the replies are received, and he would not expect me to do so.
§ Mr. ChapmanIs my hon. Friend aware that there is a widespread welcome for his proposal to reclassify the 404 grading of agricultural land so that grade 3 land, the vast majority of which is good agricultural land, is not thought of as third-class land? Will he confirm that that minor, but important, step is the first of a number of initiatives that the Government intend to take to try to conserve our good agricultural land from urban development—a highly commendable objective on environmental as well as economic grounds?
§ Mr. WigginAs my hon. Friend knows, this is a battle that we are always losing. The question is whether we can lose it progressively more slowly. I am grateful for his comments. A number of difficulties are involved, and although the change is relatively cosmetic I believe that it will have a psychological effect on some of those who do not understand the importance of maintaining this natural resource.
§ Mr. HicksI welcome my hon. Friend's suggested changes, but can he inform us of the attitude of the farming communities, which will derive maximum benefit if the change of nomenclature goes through?
§ Mr. WigginI cannot anticipate that. There is a difficulty with the individual farmer faced with the vast profits that would come from developing his land, but in general both the NFU and the CLA have consistently defended agricultural land and I hope that they will take the same view as my hon. Friend.