§ *MR. HIGHAM (Yorkshire, W.R., Sowerby)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if it is the intention of the Board to take action in accordance with the recommendations of the Departmental Committee which has recently inquired into and reported upon the fruit industry of Great Britain.
§ MR. HIGHAMI beg also to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware of the fact that many rating I authorities increase the assessments, in the case of land devoted to the growing of fruit, from the earliest years after the planting of the fruit trees; and if he will introduce early legislation to give effect to recommendation No. 15 of the Departmental Committee upon Fruit Industry, that the assessments should not be raised for a period of five years after the planting in the case of small fruit, of seven years in the case of mixed plantations, and twelve years in the case of orchards.
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. AILWYN FELLOWES, Huntingdonshire, Ramsey)The various recommendations of the Committee will receive my careful consideration, but I cannot as yet say to what extent it may be possible for me to give effect to them. The evidence upon which the recommendations are based is not as yet available, and it would not in any case be practicable for me to initiate legislation on the subject this session.