§ MR. GEORGE ROBERTSI beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he will consider the advisability of instructing county councils definitely to inform all applicants for land whether or not their applications are entertained, and if not entertained the reasons therefore and further, where refusal follows due to the applicant's lack of capital, the amount of capital deemed to be necessary shall be stated, so that the applicant be enabled to obtain the amount necessary through credit banks or otherwise.
§ SIR EDWARD STRACHEYThe Board understand that county councils usually inform applicants for small holdings whether their applications can be entertained or not. The Board do not see their way to adopt the suggestion made by my hon. friend, but they are ready to inquire into any specific cases in which applications are refused, and indeed they are doing this daily.