§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (LORD CARRINGTON)My Lords, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries has the power, under Section 95 of the Agriculture Act, 1947, to give directions as to the maximum area of land on any agricultural unit which may be maintained under pasture or herbage crops grown for commercial seed production. The purpose of this Order is to enable the Minister to continue exercising this power for a further year. The power is delegated to county agricultural executive committees, and I need hardly say that it is only when persuasion and the full resources of the advisory services have been tried, and have failed, that compulsion under this Order is resorted to. Since 1947, however, there has been an increase of about 500,000 acres in the area of land returned as permanent grass in England and Wales, although the need for producing as much food as possible from our land is greater now than it ever was. While most farmers are responding very readily, this Order will enable the county committees to deal with the few who are lagging behind in the drive for extra food production. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Agriculture (Special Directions) (Maximum Area of Pasture) Extension of Period Order, 1951, as reported from the Special Orders Committee, be approved.—(Lord Carrington.)
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I am sure that this Order will be welcomed by everyone connected with agriculture. This power is even more necessary this year that it was last year, owing to the very large area of arable land which reverted to pasture last year and the imperative need to produce more crops. I should like to make one point. The effect of this power will depend on the use which is made of it by the county agricultural executive committees, who will exercise the power on behalf of the Minister. I hope that the Minister will see to it that the county agricultural executive committees issue directions in all cases where persuasion has failed to achieve the object, and that, in any case 192 where a direction is ignored or disregarded, these committees will be encouraged to take legal proceedings. I am quite sure that, if we want to avoid having to exercise compulsion—as we all do—the best way of achieving that is to make it absolutely plain to the farmers that, if necessary, these powers will be exercised to the full extent that the law permits.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.