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Agricultural Support

Volume 806: debated on Tuesday 17 November 1970

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6.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the percentage increase in United Kingdom annual food production which will occur as a result of the recent increases in agricultural support.

I regret that this would not be possible with any worthwhile degree of accuracy.

But if the Minister has no idea what his injection of cash will do to total farm production, what use is that injection of cash? Does agricultural expansion still remain the policy of the Government? When will the Minister produce the cash to get that expansion?

Certainly, expansion remains the policy of the Government. That is why, although it was not a review in the ordinary sense but an award to meet an emergency situation, the cash injection was made. The hon. Gentleman has asked for an estimate of increased food production. Increased guarantees are only one factor in raising production. Costs, weather and so on must be taken into account before I could give him a worth-while answer.