Captain Shawasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to see that the lime supplied to the farmers in Angus under the land fertility scheme is up to standard; whether he is aware that one sample taken for the weights and measures department of the Angus County Council from a consignment of lime delivered to a farmer in that county was, on examination, found to contain large quantities of a hard blue material, and, on analysis, the lime was 1957W found to be 58.16 per cent. deficient and the blue material 78.42 per cent. deficient in calcium oxide (CaO); and will he look into the matter so as to prevent the Government and the farmers being made to pay for something that they have not received?
Mr. WedderburnAs my right hon. Friend indicated in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Stirling and Falkirk (Mr. Westwood) on 15th November the quality of lime supplied under the Land Fertility Scheme is receiving the constant attention of the Land Fertility Committee which is the statutory authority responsible for the operation of the scheme. I understand that under the committee's arrangements for the periodical sampling and analysis of lime supplies, all approved suppliers in the area have been visited by the committee's inspector, who has taken for analysis samples of the lime supplied under the scheme.
As regards the last part of the question I am informed that the producer in question will make no charge for the materials supplied and that no contribution in respect of them will therefore be made under the scheme.