asked the Minister of Agriculture whether one-man-pick-up balers are being manufactured in this country; if so, what is the estimated output for the next 12 months; or whether any steps are being taken to start production.

One-man pick-up balers are being manufactured in this country and the estimated output for the next 12 months is about 300 machines. Other manufacturers have plans for producing balers of this type and my Department will give every assistance, consistent with other agricultural needs, so that production can be increased.

In view of the fact that this machine is one of the greatest savers of manpower in agriculture at the present time, can the Parliamentary Secretary assure the House that the allocation of steel to the agricultural engineering industry will not in any way curtail the numbers of these machines able to be produced by the firms making them?

We are most anxious to increase the production of one-man balers to the maximum possible extent, and there would be no difficulty in finding the necessary raw materials.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what are the requirements of the agricultural industry during the next 12 months of the following machines: tractors, light, medium and heavy, potato harvesters, combine harvesters, grass-drying plants, pick-up balers, one-man, and other essential machinery; what is the estimated number of each that will be available on the market; and what steps he is taking to close the gap.

It is not possible at the present stage to give more than a general indication of the probable supply and demand position for agricultural machinery over the next 12 months. In the main we must rely on our own efforts to expand our agricultural machinery production and great efforts are being made to this end. While I cannot make any precise forecasts, I am hopeful that, during the next year, our increased home production of agricultural machinery will have enabled us to meet to a fairly full extent the demand for medium and light tractors, and equipment designed to work with them; that we shall have received both from home and overseas sources larger supplies of combined harvester-threshers and one-man pick-up balers than we have obtained this year, though there will still be a substantial outstanding demand for these machines; and that we shall be able to meet most other essential machinery requirements at any rate by the end of the 12 months, though some items, particularly hay machinery, are likely to be more difficult than others owing both to the production difficulties involved and the time factor. We are not likely to be able to meet more than part of the demand for heavy tractors and equipment, of which there is a serious shortage throughout the world and production of which cannot be rapidly expanded. The Government will take all practicable steps to provide the necessary facilities in the way of materials, etc., that can assist manufacturers to meet requirements.

May I ask, first, whether the answer which the Parliamentary Secretary gave to me on the last Question, regarding the steel allocation, also applies to his answer to this Question, and whether in fact, the answer given to me on 9th June by the Minister of Agriculture is now a dead letter, and whether the steel allocation to the engineering industry has been increased?

The hon. Member can rest assured that we are most anxious to make available to the agricultural engineering industry the utmost possible supplies of raw materials, so that we can increase to the maximum possible extent the supplies of various agricultural machines.

In view of the delay which often occurs between the dispatch of these implements from the works and their receipt by the farmer, will the hon. Gentleman endeavour to arrange for a very high rate of priority in their transport, and is he aware that I have received representations in this sense from one of my constituents?

I should be very obliged if the hon. Gentleman would draw my attention to any particular case because I appreciate the point he has made.

In view of the Ministry's efforts to increase home-grown food production, will the Government ensure that the home market has priority over the export market with regard to this agricultural machinery?

Certainly. The essential home requirements will come first

With regard to the allocation of steel, is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the allocation by the Ministry of Supply to the whole of the agricultural engineering industry is only two per cent. of this year's output, and is he satisfied that that is sufficient?

I do not think we are entitled to complain too much on this matter. I would suggest that the hon. Gentleman should look at the monthly Digest of Statistics where one of the striking things is the very considerable increase in the production of agricultural machinery in this country. As a matter of fact, for the first quarter of 1946 the value was about £5,500,000, and for the fourth quarter it had increased to £7,500,000. which is pretty good going.

Would the hon. Gentleman ask his right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply to investigate to what extent the production of this vital equipment can be increased by rationalising design, reducing the number of products of very similar design on offer, and manufacturing longer runs of fewer types?

I appreciate the point of the hon. Gentleman's observations. He will know that there is an agricultural research body in being which deals solely with machinery, and anything we can do to standardise design is obviously very desirable.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether, in the plan for stepping up production of machinery, and so on, which his Department has in view, they are not losing sight of the absolute necessity of adequate supplies of spare parts for this machinery—not only for that now being made, but for that already in existence, which is badly in need of them?

I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that no one is more fully aware than I am of this very important question of the supply of spare parts. It is a matter which is before us day by day, and everything we can possibly do is being done. As far as home-produced agricultural machinery is concerned, there are not many difficulties The main difficulties apply to American-produced machinery.

Mrs. Manning:

Can my hon. Friend say whether the figures he gave from the Digest of Statistics refer to machinery for the home market or for both the home and export market?

It was an inclusive figure.

Could the Minister supplement his answer, in the OFFICIAL REPORT, by giving the individual figures which were asked for in the last part of the Question?

I do not follow the point the hon. and gallant Member is making.

The Minister was asked if he would give the estimated numbers of each of these various machines, but he did not do so, and I am asking if he could publish them in the OFFICIAL REPORT?

I am afraid not at this stage.