GOVERNMENT LAND DISPOSAL POLICY (Hansard, 29 July 1954)

§ THE EARL OF LISTOWEL
My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (LORD CARRINGTON)
My Lords, as my right honourable friend Sir Thomas Dugdale has made clear in another place, where agricultural land compulsorily purchased by a Government Department is no longer required by the original acquiring Department or immediately by any other Government Department possessing compulsory purchase powers for a purpose for which the use of these powers would be justified, the Government's policy will in general be to sell it. The Government's view is that the interests of production are generally best secured if agricultural land is privately owned. The Government will consider each case on its merits, with the desire that where circumstances show that the land can properly be offered to a former owner or his successor who can establish his claim, this will be done at a price assessed by the district valuer as being the current market price. Subject to this, the procedure for the sale of land will depend on the circumstances of the particular case.

§ THE EARL OF LISTOWEL
My Lords, may I first say how glad I am to see the noble Lord replying to this Question. I say that both on personal grounds and because we respect his Parliamentary ability. We should have been extremely sad if he had not continued to discharge this important function. May I ask the noble Lord one or two supplementary questions, of which the first is this: Does 321 he agree with the statement made by the late Minister of Agriculture last week in another place, that maximum production is no longer necessary, on account of the improvement in the food situation; and, further, whether that is not the main reason for the change in policy in relation to the disposal of land since Crichel Down? My other question is this: Does the noble Lord not agree that it is in the interests of the taxpayer that the Government should try to get the best price for public land?

§ LORD CARRINGTON
My Lords, I am grateful for what the noble Earl has said about me. With regard to his first supplementary question, if he will read the speech of my right honourable friend in another place he will, I think, realise that in point of fact my right honourable friend did not say what is attributed to him, and therefore the second part of the noble Earl's supplementary question does not arise. With regard to his last supplementary, I would point out that the land to which he is referring was purchased compulsorily by the State at a price fixed by the district valuer, and it seems only reasonable that it should be returned in the same way.

§ THE EARL OF LISTOWEL
My Lords, with regard to the first part of the noble Lord's reply, may I ask him whether he really interprets the Report of the Minister's speech in the OFFICIAL REPORT in a different way from my interpretation? The words are these—I quote from the OFFICIAL REPORT (Commons) Vol. 530 (No. 152), col. 1192: In the circumstances at that time, when maximum production was essential, I am confident that my decision was right, but to-day, two years later, the food situation has materially altered for the better. My interpretation of those words is that maximum production, which was essential in 1952, is no longer essential according to the late Minister of Agriculture, because the food situation has improved. I cannot see what other interpretation could be placed upon those words.

§ LORD CARRINGTON
My Lords, what the noble Earl is trying to make me say is that the Government no longer think that food production is important—and I am not going to say it, because we certainly do not believe it. Food production is still of the greatest possible importance. What my right honourable 322 friend was saying was that the food position has materially improved in the last two years, thanks to the efforts of the farmers, and thanks to the efforts, I think, of my right honourable friend. Consequently, one must be more careful to spend money economically on getting food production.

§ EARL JOWITT
Is food production still the main consideration?

§ LORD CARRINGTON
That is one of the considerations, as I made clear in my original Answer.

§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH
My Lords, I looked just now at the Report of the debate in another place and read what the Minister said in regard to 1952—that is only two years ago. He said (OFFICIAL REPORT (Commons) Vol. 530, No. 152, col. 1186), that there was still an overriding need for maximum food production. Has the "overriding need" departed? Many farmers in the country are very disturbed about the implication of the statement in another place.

§ LORD CARRINGTON
If the noble Viscount will try to cast his mind back to that time, so far from rationing having been abolished, it was becoming in some respects even more severe; and though we all have short political memories it is as well to remember the great transformation wrought in this respect by Her Majesty's Government.

§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH
Is it contended that there is no longer an overriding need for food production here in relation to the immediate food problems of general exchange of trade and exchange rates generally?

§ LORD CARRINGTON
I have already said several times in answering supplementary questions that Her Majesty's Government consider food production to be of the greatest possible importance.

§ LORD OGMORE
My Lords, may I ask a further question on another reply of the Minister when he expresses the view of Her Majesty's Government that the holding of land in private ownership is the most efficient method of securing food production. Is that not an entirely doctrinaire approach, induced by the efforts of the 1922 Committee? In some 323 cases it might be much more efficient to have land in public ownership. Surely it would depend on the circumstances.

§ LORD CARRINGTON
If the noble Lord will study my answer, I said that "in general" the Government believe that the best way of achieving food production is to leave land in private ownership.

§ LORD WINSTER
May I ask the noble Lord whether his reply is based upon opinion or upon statistics?

§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (VISCOUNT SWINTON)
It is based on common knowledge and common sense.

§ THE EARL OF LISTOWEL
I am sure the noble Lord has done his best but he will observe that there is a good deal of dissatisfaction on this side of the House and we shall put down a Motion for discussion.