Agriculture (Lime Subsidy)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 2 July 1959.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Sir Archer Baldwin Sir Archer Baldwin , Leominster 12:00, 2 July 1959

I am glad that the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Kenyon) supports the schemes, because although I do not usually like production grants I agree that this is one of the best forms of production grant. I am sure that, without it, there would be nothing like the amount of lime used that should now be used.

I do not quite understand the criticism of the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) about production. The hon. Member for Chorley has rightly pointed out that the producers now distribute their lime in a first-class manner. I remember that in my young days it was hauled in the clod condition, put out in clumps on the field and spread with a shovel, which was not a very nice condition. Now, however, it can be distributed straight away.

My suggestion is that it would be as well if a test were made of the limestone when it is being applied. In the old days when the lime was slacked, there were stones left which we hauled off and put into the gateways. What becomes of the stones now? Are they ground up and applied to our land as lime? A little interest in the quality of the lime at the various limekilns would be useful.