§ MR. R. HARCOURTI beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somersetshire, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether the Hampshire County Council have furnished any report as to the applications for small holdings, amounting to some 5,000 acres, refused by them; and, if not, whether it is proposed to call for one.
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYThe reply is in the negative. We do not propose to ask for the reasons for rejection unless we are appealed to by the applicants themselves.
§ * MR. R. HARCOURTDo I understand that the Board do not propose to take the initiative in informing unsuccessful applicants that they have a power of appeal?
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYsaid the Board naturally did not inform every applicant of the rejection of their applications by the county council, because they were not aware of the rejection unless there was an appeal to the Board.
§ MR. MONTAGU (Cambridgeshire, Chesterton)inquired whether the hon. Gentleman had received any complaints.
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYCertainly, there have been complaints received from different parts of the country. Those complaints are always strictly investigated.