§ 31. Sir J. Duncanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the effects of the long period of hard weather on the farming industry in Scotland, particularly in relation to the prospects for lambing on hill farms.
§ Mr. Brooman-WhiteIt is too early to make an overall assessment of the effects of the adverse weather conditions on Scottish farming. Reports do not indicate abnormally high stock losses to date except in a few isolated cases, but hill ewes in those parts of the country worst hit by frost and snow are losing condition and unless the weather improves in the next week or two lambing on hill farms in these areas will be seriously affected.