HL Deb 10 July 1918 vol 30 cc798-9

LORD HINDLIP rose to ask His Majesty's Government whether the Ministry of Production of Food can give—

  1. 1. Any approximate estimate of the acreage ordered to be ploughed by war agricultural executive committees in England which has been ploughed prior to May 31, 1918, and which has not been planted.
  2. 2. Any approximate estimate of the acreage which has been ploughed and planted by order of war agricultural executive committees in England prior to May 31, 1918, and likely to yield less than 50 per cent. of a crop.
The noble Lord said: My Lords, my object in asking this Question is very much the same as that of my noble friend Viscount Chaplin, who asked a Question on a similar subject this afternoon. A great many wild statements have been made, both optimistic and pessimistic, as to whether ploughing-up has been a failure or a success. A great difference of opinion exists, and we have heard many suppositions. For instance, it is said that 1,000,000 out of 4,000,000 acres have been a failure, and I think it is unfortunate that no very trustworthy information on the subject is to be had. My noble friend Lord Chaplin, in his Question, asked for the jam part of it, and I think the noble Lord in giving his answer laid the jam on rather thick. I am asking for the powder, and I gather that the information at the disposal of the noble Lord is very meagre. I should have thought that with the numerous officials appointed by war executive committees, and with the Board of Agriculture's inspectors throughout the country, the Board would have been by this time in possession of fairly accurate information as to what has been the success and what has been the failure of this ploughing-up. I venture to think it is rather unfortunate that the information at their disposal seems to be so meagre. I will not detain your Lordships at this late hour, but if the noble Lord can give the information for which I ask it will be useful to your Lordships.

LORD CLINTON

My Lords, as the noble Lord has indicated, I am really not in a position to answer this question, except by giving certain estimates which have been made. I have given the full figures to the noble Viscount, Lord Chaplin, and I do not think the noble Lord would wish me to repeat them, but the reports generally are to the effect that the yield is likely to be up to the average.

LORD HINDLIP

I was not asking about the yield, but about the failures—the powder.

LORD CLINTON

I think the noble Lord must put his Question down again, for I have not the information at hand.

LORD HINDLIP

I will put it down again for next week.