HC Deb 31 May 1892 vol 5 cc375-6
MR. CONYBEARE

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware of the discontent caused by the present system of collecting agricultural statistics by the Inland Revenue officers, not only to those officers, but also to the farmers; and whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the possibility of having all such agricultural Returns collected through the agency of the Board of Agriculture, of which he is the President?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, Sleaford

For an answer to the first part of the question I must refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Roscommon (Mr. O'Kelly) on the 25th February last. With regard to the second part, I may say that the staff of the Board of Agriculture could not collect the Returns referred to with anything like the same degree of efficiency as is done by the Inland Revenue officers. Under these circumstances, I cannot undertake to cause the inquiry asked for to be made.

MR. CONYBEARE

As the Inland Revenue officers collect these statistics, would the right hon. Gentleman be disposed to give them some additional remuneration?

MR. CHAPLIN

That is a matter over which I have no control whatever.