HC Deb 30 June 1908 vol 191 cc578-9
MR. MORRELL

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether the Board will repay out of the Small Holdings Account the salaries and expenses of any officers specially appointed by a county council, with the sanction of the Board, to assist in establishing and organising small holdings under the Act.

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

The repayment of expenses of county councils is expressly restricted under the Act to those incurred in proceedings in relation to the acquisition of land, and although the Board are prepared to take as liberal a view of the terms of the Act as is at all possible, they have no power to sanction the repayment of expenses incurred for other purposes.

MR. JESSE COLLINGS (Birmingham, Bordesley)

Is the House to understand that all these expenses and salaries will be charged as additional rent on the tenant holders?

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

I do not understand that Question. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will give notice of it.

MR. MORRELL

The hon. Baronet told the House on 11th June——

MR. SPEAKER

Quotations from speeches in this House are not now permissible.

MR. MONTAGU (Cambridgeshire, Chesterton)

If the expenses of salaries are not borne by the Board of Agriculture, by what fund will they be borne?

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

said a certain part of the salaries might be payable for certain specific work done, but only the salary paid to an agent for the management of the land under the control of the county council would naturally form part of the expenses. As on any other estate, it would be part of the expenses of the estate and naturally would have to come out of the rents.

MR. MORRELL

If the whole of the time of the officer hitherto has been taken up in ascertaining the demand, and not in the managing of the estate, will the Board of Agriculture consider the advisability of repaying the salary during that time to the county council?

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

Those are preliminary inquiries, and the expense of preliminary inquiries cannot be repaid.

MR. MONTAGU

Will the cost of the preliminary inquiries fall on the rates of the county or on the small holders?

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

That is a legal question, but I believe they would fall upon the general rates.