HC Deb 11 February 1955 vol 536 cc257-8W
Mr. Hurd

asked the Minister of Agriculture what conclusions the Government have reached from the recent special review of farm prices.

Mr. Amory

In the light of the Special Review the Government have decided on full recoupment of the higher wage costs in agriculture in the United Kingdom resulting from Agricultural Wages Board awards. Additions will be made uniformly throughout the United Kingdom to the guaranteed prices of crops of the 1955 harvest, to take account of the increases in wage costs over a full year.

In the case of livestock and livestock products, additions to guaranteed prices will be made uniformly throughout the United Kingdom to take account of the increases in wage costs over the remainder of the current livestock year. The methods of doing this will vary according to the circumstances of the commodity.

Following are the details:

CROPS OF THE 1955 HARVEST
— Existing guaranteed prices for 1955 crops (as given in Appendix V of Cmd.9104) Special Review addition New guaranteed prices for 1955 crops
per cwt. per cwt. per cwt.
s. d. d. s. d.
Wheat 29 9 3 30 0
Rye 23 0 3 23 3
Barley 24 6 2 24 8
Oats 23 0 3 23 3
per ton per ton per ton
s. d. s. d. s. d.
Potatoes 212 6 3 4 215 10
Sugar Beet 125 7 2 0 127 7

Livestock products

General. For each livestock product estimates have been made of the amount of the higher wage costs to the end of the current livestock year and these have been stated below either as an addition to guaranteed prices or as an aggregate sum.

Milk. Arrangements are being made to put the marketing authorities in funds to the extent of £587,000 for the United Kingdom. (This is approximately the equivalent of 0.83d. per gallon on estimated sales during March.) The authorities will, however, make payments to producers in respect of whatever quantities and periods appear to them most appropriate.

Eggs. For first quality hen and duck eggs sold through packing stations from 13th February, 1955, to 26th March, 1955, inclusive, a Special Review award of ½d. per dozen will be added to the average support prices which would otherwise have been determined.

Wool. Arrangements will be made for the British Wool Marketing Board to withdraw from the Special Account a sum of £51,000.

Fatstock

For the purpose of calculating any collective guarantee payments that may be due, the following additions will be made to the existing standard prices for the four weeks ending 27th March, 1955, and for the subsequent two four-weekly periods to the standard prices to be determined after the Annual Review:—

Fat cattle 1s. 10½d. per live cwt.
Fat sheep and lambs 0.64d. per lb. d.c.w.
Fat pigs 2.66d. per score d.w.