Mr. T. Williamsasked the Minister of Agriculture how many individual schemes had been approved, how many had been approved in principle, and how many were under consideration under the Hill Farming Act and the Livestock Rearing Act in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland at 31st December, 1953; and the total acreage involved.
§ Sir T. DugdaleFollowing is the reply:
area capable of being used for grazing, but not at present so used, is not known.
The county agricultural executive committees, working in conjunction with the Ministry's advisory services, are responsible for advising and assisting farmers to increase the use of rough grazings for food production. The Welsh Sub-Committee of the Hill Farming Advisory Committee advises me on the application to Wales of the Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts under which assistance may be given for the improvement of such land.
Research on hill farming problems is undertaken by the Welsh Plant Breeding Station attached to the University College 115W of Wales, Aberystwyth, by the Hill Farming Research Organisation appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, and by the Animal Breeding Research Organisation of the Agricultural Research Council.