MR. COURTHORPEI beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether steps will be taken to obtain actual instead of estimated Returns of the English hop crop.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Sir EDWARD STRACHEY,) Somerset, S.The suggestion of the hon. Member is one which has often been considered, but the difficulties in the way of obtaining accurate Returns of the actual produce of crops from every individual grower are obviously considerable, and legislation would be required in order to make the delivery of such returns compulsory. We shall, however, be glad to look further into the matter in detail, and if the hon. Member would like to have an opportunity of conferring personally with the officers of the Board on the subject, I shall be very happy to make arrangements accordingly. We are naturally anxious that the Returns should be 1133 compiled with the greatest possible accuracy.