§ Mr. Bodyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the value of the drainage work done by the Essex Agricultural Executive Committee for the years ended 31st March, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955 and 1956.
Mr. AmoryThe information is as follows:
Year ended Value £ 31st March, 1952 … … 106,372 31st March, 1953 … … 148,743 31st March, 1954 … … 234,428 31st March, 1955 … … 239,876 31st March, 1956 … … 244,000 (provisional) These figures include a small element of work on trenching for water supply schemes. The substantial increase in the total after 1953 is due to drainage improvements after the East Coast floods.
§ Mr. Bodyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the value of the drainage work to be done by the Essex Agricultural Executive Committee for the year ending 31st March, 1957, is likely to differ from previous years.
Mr. AmoryOn present information it seems likely that the value of drainage work to be undertaken by the Essex Agricultural Executive Committee in the current financial year will be some 20 per cent. below the value of that done in each of the last two financial years.
§ Mr. Bodyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria he will adopt in deciding whether the 187W Essex Agricultural Executive Committee should cease to undertake drainage work.
Mr. AmoryThe Essex Agricultural Executive Committee's drainage contract service will continue in operation until I am satisfied after consultation with the Committee that alternative facilities exist to undertake all the necessary field drainage work efficiently and at a reasonable cost to the farmers. The position is kept under constant review.
WHEAT Accounting Period Seasonal Standard Price per cwt. Ascertained Average Price per cwt. Deficiency Payment per cwt. Quantity Qualifying for Deficiency Payment Total Payments s. d. s. d. s. d. million cwt £ million 1st July—30th Sept., 1955 27 11 19 10.9 8 0.1 10.6 4.3 1st Oct.—30th Nov., 1955 29 5 21 3.7 8 1.3 10.6 4.3 1st Dec., 1955–29th Feb., 1956 30 11 23 7.1 7 3.9 12.6 4.6 1st March—30th April, 1956 32 2 25 2.0 7 0.0 7.8 2.7 1st May—30th June, 1956 32 11 26 11.5 5 11.5 4.7 1.4 Payments in respect of the first four periods have already been made. Payments for the period 1st May to 30th June, 1956, will be made in August apart from a few certificates which are still under query.
RYE — Yearly Standard Price per cwt. Ascertained Average Price per cwt. Deficiency Payment per cwt. Quantity Qualifying for Deficiency Payment Total Payments s. d. s. d. s. d. million cwt £ million Cereal Year 1st July, 1955, to 30th June, 1956 23 3 19 3.9 3 11.1 0.28 0.05 An advance at the rate of 3s. per cwt. has already been made to growers following the announcement made on the 16th December, 1955. The final payment to these growers will, therefore, be at the rate of 11.1d. per cwt. Payments will be made in August apart from a few certificates which are still under query.
BARLEY — Yearly Standard Price per cwt. Ascertained United Kingdom average "at farm" Price per cwt. for lower priced Barley Price Deficiency per cwt. Deficiency Payment per acre Acreage qualifying for Deficiency Payment Total Payments s. d. s. d. s. d. £ s. d. million acres £ million Cereal Year 1st July, 1955, to 30th June, 1956 24 8 20 4.96 4 3.04 4 2 6 2.23 9.2 An advance payment at the rate of £3 0s. per acre has already been made to most barley growers following the announcement made on the 16th December, 1955. The final payment to these growers will, therefore, be at the rate of £1 2s. 6d. per acre. Payment will begin immediately and will be completed during September or October.