§ Mr. Goldingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to publish his White Paper on Agriculture.
§ Mr. PeartA White Paper "Food from our own Resources" setting out the Government's conclusions is being laid before Parliament today. My agricultural colleagues and I are grateful to the representatives of farmers, landowners, agricultural workers and the food and drink industries who participated in these discussions. The outcome has been also discussed with representatives of consumers.
The main conclusions of the Government are as follows. First, the likely levels of world and Community prices for major foodstuffs between now and the early 1980s, and the risks of possible shortage 134W and sharp price fluctuations, justify a policy of expansion of food production in the United Kingdom. Secondly, the net product of the agricultural industry should be capable of a continuing expansion of about 2½ per cent. a year on average, and this is the objective at which the Government and industry should aim. There is a wide measure of agreement between the Government and the industry on the scale of higher output projected to 1980. Thirdly, within this overall objective most benefit is likely to come from higher output of milk—with its by-product, beef from the dairy herd—and sugar beet. Cereals and sheepmeat should also make a significant contribution.
The White Paper contains a projection of the possible pattern of higher output in 1980, which shows on certain price assumptions a gross import saving of £630 million and a net import saving of £530 million at the price of replaceable imports.