asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is carrying out a review of the hill farming and winter keep schemes.

The question of how best to assist hill farmers is one of the matters which I will be considering in consultation with the farming industry in connection with the forthcoming Annual Review.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that he will not take the same steps as his predecessor in 1950, when he last carried out a review of the hill farming subsidies, which was to cut altogether both the calf subsidy and the fertiliser subsidy and thereby bring production virtually to a standstill?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that farmers are very concerned that they should retain the benefits of these subsidies which, I remind him, stem from the Labour Government's Hill Farming Act, 1946.

Is the Secretary of State aware of the particular problems of the smaller farmers in the upland areas who do not have very much arable ground and who have not benefited tremendously from the winter keep scheme? Will he keep the problems of these farmers in mind?

I will not promise special steps, but we will have a good look at it.