§ SIR R. PAGET (Somerset, Wells)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has considered the advisability of taking advantage of the present vacancy in the office of Commissioner of Her Majesty's Woods and Forests to place that office under the control of the Board of Agriculture?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir W. HARCOURT, Derby)No; I do not think that a change of that kind would be practicable or advisable. Out of a gross income of £514,000 the agricultural land contributes £72,000, which is not one-seventh part of the whole estate. The rest of it consists of land and house property in London and elsewhere, and of mines and other properties which are not at all appropriate to the Agricultural Department. Though I have profound confidence in my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, I do not think it proper to hand over six-sevenths of this estate to be dealt with by his Department.