§ 54. Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) to what extent and under what conditions he is at present making farm improvement grants available for the installation of sealed silos;
(2) what further evidence he requires to enable him to make a decision on the availability of farm improvement grants for the installation of sealed silos for storing undried grain.
§ Mr. SoamesUntil now my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have hitherto been approving for grant under the Farm Improvement Scheme only such installations as can be justified for the storage of dried grain on the holding concerned. Before approving silos for damp grain storage the Act requires us to be satisfied that a prudent landlord would provide this type of improvement or pay compensation to a tenant for it.
After consulting an Advisory Committee representative of all sections of the industry, we now believe that the prudent landlord of the Scheme would agree to install airtight silos in certain circumstances where feeding of damp grain to livestock is appropriate for the farm and sufficient grain is grown on the farm to warrant the expenditure.
We will, therefore, in future be prepared to consider any grain silo for farm improvement grant on this basis, and subject to all the usual tests of the Scheme in individual cases.