§ 6.5 p.m.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (LORD DENHAM)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing on the Paper in my name. This Order is much less complicated than the Barley Order which I brought before your Lordships' House before Christmas and I can explain it in a sentence or two. The three Ministers named at the top of the Order, my right honourable friends the Minister of Agriculture, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Home Secretary, have made the Order under powers conferred on them by Part I of the Agricultural Development Act, 1939. This Order has to be approved by your Lordships' House. I believe it was approved in another place yesterday. The effect of 513 the Order is to increase by one shilling the standard price of oats. The price of wheat has been already increased by one shilling per cwt. and conformity will thus be produced between oats and wheat. The only other thing I might mention to your Lordships is that this will give great help to the farmers. The farmers' costs of production are rising all round and they do want encouragement of this sort. For these reasons I hope your Lordships will approve the Order. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Special Order, as reported from the Special Orders Commit- 514 tee yesterday, be approved.—(Lord Denham.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.