§ 50. Mr. David Priceasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his final assessment of the damage done to British agriculture by the recent severe weather; and whether he now intends establishing a disaster fund for the most severely hit farmers.
§ Mr. StrangInformation has been collected only in relation to the damage caused along the East Coast and Kent by tidal flooding on 11th January. It is estimated that about 9,000 acres of agricultural land were flooded of which about 5,500 acres were grassland, about 2,500 acres were winter cereals and the remainder either horticultural crops or fallow. Most of the grassland appears to have survived without serious damage, but it is still too early to make a final assessment of losses of winter cereals. About 950 sheep were lost in Kent and there has been extensive silting up of farm drainage systems. There appears to have been little serious damage to farm buildings. My right hon. Friend the Minister has already announced the help that is available to farmers and growers affected by flooding.