§ 52. Mr. Medlandasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will consider the advisability of altering the subsidy of £10 per acre on potatoes tilled to a subsidy on bags of potatoes harvested, in view of the many tons of potatoes that have been left in the ground to rot.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsNo, Sir. The potato acreage payment is part of the price; it is not a subsidy, and my hon. Friend's proposal would defeat its object which is to encourage a high acreage by providing an insurance to growers in areas where there is a risk of a poor crop. If a crop goes to waste as a result of the grower's failure or delay in taking reasonable steps to keep it in good condition, he is liable to be charged with an offence under the Waste of Agricultural Foodstuffs Order, 1942.