§ 34. Mr. Andrew WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure the future prosperity of the Scottish agricultural industry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe output of Scottish agriculture in 1990 rose to 1.6 billion and aggregate farm income was estimated to rise to £172 million, above the average for the 1980s. We continue to monitor the situation closely, especially for hill farming. We are resisting firmly the discriminatory elements of the EC Commission's proposals to reform the common agricultural policy, and shall maintain special support to farmers and crofters in the highlands and islands under the rural enterprise programme.