46. Mr. Watkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can report any progress for increasing the number of farm institutes in Wales; and whether he can make a statement as to the position of the proposed Mid-Wales Farm Institute at Llangoed, Breconshire, already approved in principle.
§ Sir T. DugdaleA new institute in Carmarthenshire will be ready this summer and one for horticulture in Flintshire by the middle of 1953. A 153W house and land have been bought for a new institute in Caernarvonshire and tenders for adapting the property are being examined. The purchase of a house to increase the capacity of the Denbighshire Institute has been approved in principle. When completed these projects will enable farm institutes in Wales and Monmouthshire to take 300 students as against 200 at present.
The proposal for a farm institute at Llangoed was approved in principle to serve the needs of Brecon, Montgomeryshire and Radnor. The Radnor Authority has since withdrawn from the scheme and the Brecon County Council has now agreed with the Ministry's view that for this and other reasons, including increased costs, the scheme should be deferred for two years.