HL Deb 25 April 1956 vol 196 cc1187-8

2.36 p.m.

VISCOUNT BLEDISLOE

My Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether and, if so, to what extent, the aerial top dressing of farm crops (including grass) with chemical fertilisers is being practised in Great Britain as it is now with such remarkable success throughout New Zealand: and whether, in view of the far larger dressings of such fertilisers with profitable results in several continental countries than is customary here, they will favourably consider the employment of this device at the public expense, as calculated to augment materially the food output of this country and thus form a good national investment.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD (EARL ST. ALDWYN)

My Lords, I understand that in the United Kingdom only a limited use is made of aircraft in spreading chemical fertiliser. The development in the technique in New Zealand and elsewhere is being watched with interest, but the noble Viscount will have in mind that conditions in this country are different in many important respects. It is not proposed to allocate public money specifically for this purpose.

VISCOUNT BLEDISLOE

My Lords, I should like to ask whether the Government might think it worth while to try out this process on some of the hill land in Wales, where the size of the holdings and the nature of the land make it in large measure comparable with that in the North Island of New Zealand?

EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, I appreciate what the noble Viscount has said, but at the moment we feel that more use can be made of the grants which are available to farmers under the Marginal Production Scheme for direct fertilisation than for aerial fertilisation. It is true to say that aerial fertilisation would be eligible for grant under the Marginal Production Schemes, but as yet we have had no applications for grant for that purpose.

LORD MACDONALD OF GWAENYSGOR

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether he is aware that in mid-Wales this type of sowing has already been adopted with some success?

EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, I am aware that some work has been done on this and that the results appear to be promising; but further than that I cannot go at the moment.