§ Colonel Burtonasked the Minister of Agriculture when legislation will be introduced to give effect to the Government decision to extend the financial assistance to barley growers?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithLegislation to give effect to the proposals for additional assistance to barley growers, to which reference was made in my reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams) on 23rd February, will be introduced as soon as possible. Discussions with the interests concerned are still proceeding and I regret that I am not yet in a position to name a probable date. I would, however, remind my hon. and gallant Friend that in the meantime payments of subsidy under the Agriculture Act, 1937, in respect of the 1938 crop will be made at the appropriate time to those barley growers whose applications have been accepted, and that in the forthcoming legislation it is proposed that the long-term policy shall be applied retrospectively as far as practicable to the 1938 crop.