asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in what districts there is any shortage of privately-owned potato-spraying machines in Scotland; whether such machines are obtainable on hire from the Department of Agriculture through county executive committees, with details of numbers and locations; and what steps he is taking to make potato-spraying machines available to farmers in the northern half of Scotland who are unable to obtain them?

I have had representations as to a need for spraying machines in the north-eastern district of Scotland, and I am arranging for machines to be made available for use in that district. I am not aware of any other districts in which farmers are unable to obtain the spraying facilities they require from the contractors who normally undertake this work. These machines have not been included in the equipment operated by the Department of Agriculture's tractor service.