Farm Buildings (Hansard, 2 July 1987)

1. Mr. John Mark Taylor
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to encourage farmers to notify Government sponsored enterprise agencies of unused farm buildings in their localities.

§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. John Gummer)
While it may be useful in particular instances for farmers to notify enterprise agencies in rural areas of unused farm buildings. I am anxious that, whenever possible, they themselves should make use of such buildings for diversified enterprises.

Mr. Taylor
I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply, but will he take note from me and from others who have been involved in enterprise agencies that the hardest commodity for a new-start business man to find is premises'? Whereas in any locality it is easy to find a list of good commercial premises, those are beyond the reach 610 of the new-start business man, who must needs make his commencement in irregular properties. That is where the agricultural community might have a valuable part to play —in identifying such properties from time to time.

§ Mr. Gummer
I am sure that my hon. Friend is right. I hope that he will not refer to such properties as irregular, but they are suitable for the purposes that he has in mind. I shall make sure that if there are any ways of helping in this direction we shall do so.

§ Sir Hector Monro
On the important issue of alternative use for buildings and land, has my right hon. Friend seen any greater flexibility among planning authorities in giving approval for this sort of development? Is he considering giving further guidance?

§ Mr. Gummer
That is largely a matter for the Department of the Environment, but I have begun a series of meetings around the country in which I have put before planning officials, chairmen of planning committees and local farmers the various problems that are involved, and the advantages of being more flexible in this way. The reaction so far has been extremely good, and I hope that that will continue.

§ Mr. John
Is the Minister aware that the chairman of the Development Commission says that there are many more inquiries for premises than there are premises available, and that if the Government were to allocate an extra £10 million to the Development Commission annually that could easily be taken up in providing premises for people moving to rural areas to create employment?

§ Mr. Gummer
As the hon. Gentleman knows, that is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. We are now doing a whole range of things. After the consultation period is over we shall be announcing a whole range of new ways in which we shall help in that direction. I am pleased to see that those moves have the general support of the hon. Gentleman's party.