Sheep (Prices)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the dissatisfaction among farmers regarding the present method of price fixing for sheep; and if he will have the situation looked into to ascertain if the condition can be improved.
The price of sheep is no longer fixed by my Department. The market price is, however, supplemented by payments from my Department in accordance with the guarantees announced following the Annual Price Review. The form of these arrangements has been agreed with representatives of the producers, and I have no evidence that farmers are dissatisfied.
B.B.C. Broadcasts (Fatstock Prices)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will arrange with the British Broadcasting Corporation to continue the broadcast announcements of fatstock prices, which are most useful to farmers.
I am informed that the B.B.C. have no present intention of discontinuing these broadcasts.
INDIAN EXPORTS (MONKEYS)
asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what representations were made to the Indian Government to remove the ban on the export of monkeys to the United Kingdom for poliomyelitis research.
None. Under the export licensing procedure introduced by the Government of India in March, 1955, the United Kingdom organisations concerned have sufficient Indian export licences for monkeys to meet their present needs and have obtained assurances of licences to cover their 1955 research programmes for the production and testing of poliomyelitis vaccine.
School Building Programme
asked the Minister of Education if he will make a statement about the school building programme for 1956–57; and the progress that is being made with the schools that are needed for rural re-organisation.
The biggest increase in any one year in the number of secondary school children will occur in 1958, and the demands for school building needed on this account are now reaching a climax. It has also become clear that rural reorganisation will cost £10 million-£15 million more than was originally contemplated, largely because many of the new secondary schools needed for this purpose have to serve both town and country. The Government accept this increased programme, but cannot agree to compress it into two or three years instead of five, as some local authorities wish to do. I shall not therefore be able to approve for 1956–57 all the projects for rural reorganisation which authorities have put forward for that year, but I shall ask authorities to plan the remainder so that they may all be started within the five-year period.
I am therefore approving a school building programme of major projects of about £60 million for 1956–57. This compares with about £60 million for the current year, and about £48 million for 1954–55. It should enable authorities to meet their essential commitments for new places and to start by March, 1957, nearly half of the enlarged five-year programme of rural reorganisation.