90. Mr. Watkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give an assurance that the Government's intentions as to the Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts, which terminate in November, will be made known before his statement or during his statement to the House on the agricultural price review.
§ Mr. H. NichollsThe Government has decided to extend by seven years the period, due to end on 6th November next, in which schemes for the improvement64W of livestock rearing land may be submitted and to make available a further £5 million for grants for that purpose; it is also their intention to extend for a similar period the powers of the responsible Ministers to subsidise hill sheep and hill cattle. In reaching this decision the Government have had in mind along with other considerations the Report of the Welsh Agricultural Land Sub-Commission on the Area in Mid-Wales referred to them by my predecessor. Legislation will be introduced in due course.