§ 2.41 p.m.
§ LORD HARLECHMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government what is the number of schemes under the Hill Farming Act, 1946, relating to Wales which have now received final approval, upon how many of these actual work has begun, and what is the total amount in subsidy involved.]
4§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I have been asked to reply. One thousand, four hundred and sixty-four proposals for hill farming improvement schemes have been received from Wales. Of these, 307 have been either rejected or withdrawn, 764 have been approved in principle, and 21 have been finally approved for commencement of work. The remainder are under consideration. When a scheme is finally approved, responsibility for starting work rests with the promoter of a scheme, but it is known that work has started on at least 14 schemes. The total amount of grant estimated to be paid in respect of those schemes finally approved is £11,600. The total amount of grant estimated to be payable for all the schemes—that is, those finally approved, approved in principle or still under consideration, is about £500,000.
§ LORD HARLECHMy Lords, could the noble Lord say, in regard to the 307 schemes that were summarily rejected, what was the main cause of rejection?
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHSome of them were withdrawn by the promoters, some were found to have no relation to hill sheep farming and others did not comply with the conditions of the grant.
§ VISCOUNT BUCKMASTERMy Lords, arising out of the Question of the noble Lord, is the noble Lord, Lord Lucas of Chilworth, aware that the Conservative Party have to-day issued a publication dealing with their policy in regard to Wales, which might be helpful to His Majesty's Government in arriving at a more constructive policy in this matter, especially in regard to the 300,000 schemes that have been turned down?
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I feel sure that my right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture is well aware of all the schemes that are abroad, from whichever source they emanate. May I point out to the noble Viscount that only 300 applications have been rejected or withdrawn—not 300,000?