HL Deb 30 October 1979 vol 402 cc346-9

3.35 p.m.

Earl FERRERS rose to move, That the Scheme laid before the House on 31st July, be approved. The noble Earl said: My Lords, I beg to move that the Fruiting Plum Tree (Planting Grants) Scheme 1979 be approved. If it is to the convenience of your Lordships, I shall address my remarks also to the other order, which is the Plum Material and Clearance Grants Scheme 1979. The purpose of these orders is to provide some aid to the plum industry of England and Wales to help alleviate the effects of plum pox disease.

Plum pox is a serious virus disease which attacks plums, damsons, greengages, apricots, peaches and nectarines as well as a wide variety of ornamental and hedging trees and shrubs. If it is not controlled, the growing of commercially important but sensitive varieties of plums, such as the well known "Victoria", could well become uneconomic. Plum pox spread from Eastern to Western Europe after the Second World War, reached Kent in 1965 and had become established in England generally by 1974. It was soon recognised that the scale of compulsory destruction of trees in affected orchards which would be required by the eradication effort could not be justified, and it was decided that satisfactory control could be achieved by advisory means. It was considered to be essential to ensure that nursery stock remained healthy, and so the Plum Pox (Sharka Disease) Order 1975 was introduced to provide statutory control in nurseries.

Until the end of 1978 some assistance was therefore available to nurserymen in the form of compensation for the destruction of suspect plum planting material which had been exposed to known outbreaks of plum pox, and in each of the years 1976 to 1978 an average of approximately £55,000 was paid out in this way. Experience had indicated, however, that the payment of compensation did not necessarily result in the production of badly-needed certified trees, and it was therefore considered that a more positive approach was necessary which would concentrate the limited resources available on incentives to help to secure an adequate and continuing supply of certified fruiting plum trees to commercial orchards.

The Plum Material and Clearance Grants Scheme 1979 is intended to stimulate the production of certified fruiting plum trees. Grants of 25 per cent. would be awarded towards reasonable costs incurred in establishing or re-establishing nursery facilities required for the propagation of certified fruiting plum trees. The type of operation which would be eligible for grant would include the grubbing and clearance of diseased and other trees and plant material both on the actual site of the propagation unit and to some extent outside it, to ensure the isolation which would subsequently be required by the certification scheme for which the material would have to be entered before any grant is paid. Assistance is also planned for the purchase of certified mother trees which will be required to provide healthy bud-wood for tree production, and aid would also be available for certified rootstock material and for clearance of some additional land on which rootstocks might be planted out for budding and subsequent growing on.

The Fruiting Plum Tree (Planting Grants) Scheme 1979 provides for grants to be paid for the planting of certified fruiting plum trees in existing or proposed commercial orchards in which plum pox is not known to exist or where adequate steps are being taken to control the disease. The rate of planting grants which apply for 1979/80 are 50p per maiden tree or £1 for a two-to-three-year old tree.

My Lords, in addition to encouraging efforts to improve the overall health of plum trees, this scheme will stimulate demand for certified plum trees and so provide a measure of help for nurserymen engaged on the production of certified fruiting plum trees. Both schemes will, of course, be subject to the usual protective devices. In both cases the application must feature a minimum amount of work before it can be eligible. In both cases the basic agricultural or horticultural unit involved must be viable and capable of providing a living for the occupier.

The schemes are planned to operate for five years, after which they will be reviewed. The anticipated expenditure is based on an average of £86,000 a year covering both schemes, and making a total amount to be allowed for of £430,000. That is the background of the regulations now before your Lordships. In essence the regulations are simple, and they allow the appropriate Minister to make modest grants which could be of genuine benefit to this relatively specialised sector of the horticultural industry. I therefore commend these schemes to your Lordships. I beg to move.

Moved, That the Scheme laid before the House on 31st July, be approved.—(Earl Ferrers.)

Lord PEART

My Lords, I do not wish to question the Minister about this matter. It is a sensible order which has been approved by the appropriate committee and it means that the Government will give assistance to improve plum trees in different parts of the country, a worthy agricultural object which I would in no way wish to delay. I am glad the noble Earl has acted so quickly, and while only a small amount of money is involved, one never knows with the present Administration; they are tight with money occasionally. Suffice to say that I am glad they are not going to sacrifice agriculture.

Earl FERRERS

My Lords, I am indeed indebted to the noble Lord, Lord Peart, for giving this order such a welcome. It just goes to show that the present Government are very concerned to protect agriculture.

Question, Motion agreed to.