§ Mr. Bishopasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in order to save on foreign exchange costs, he will consider proposals for grant-aid or subsidies for the planting of new orchards and particularly for cider apples; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PriorNo. It is a matter for individual growers to decide whether the planting of new orchards is commercially justified, and it would be wrong to base a decision on the expectation of Government assistance.
§ Mr. Bishopasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his proposal to amend the Farm Capital Grant Scheme authorising the payment of a special grant to encourage the grubbing of uneconomic orchards includes 45W cider apple orchards; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PriorNo. The considerations mentioned in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone (Mr. John Wells) on 15th June do not apply to cider apple orchards.—[Vol. 819, c.57–8.]