§ Mr. B. STANIERasked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can give the sums voted for agricultural education in the following countries: Great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, United States, and Denmark; and what proportion this is to their respective populations?
§ The TREASURER of the HOUSEHOLD (Sir E. Strachey)The possibility of making a comparison of the nature suggested was considered by the recent Departmental Comimittee on Agricultural Education, and information was obtained by them as to the condition of agricultural education in some thirty countries. The Committee, however, reported that they had designedly refrained from printing the figures as they were of opinion that, owing to the different circumstances of the countries in question, the figures were not directly comparable. The Board agree with the conclusion at which the Committee thus arrived.
§ Mr. STANIERasked the hon. Member for South Somerset if he can give the amount voted for agricultural purposes by the following Governments: Great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, United States, and Denmark; and what proportion this is to their respective populations?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYThe conditions vary so considerably in the countries named that any figures which we could give as to the expenditure incurred for agricultural purposes would not be in any way comparable. An article on "State Aid to Agriculture in Foreign and Colonial Countries" was published in the "Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland" for 1908, which may, however, be of interest to the hon. Member in this connection.
§ Mr. G. L. COURTHOPEWill not the hon. Gentleman give the figures asked for, quite irrespective of whether they are comparable or not?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYI am informed they would be of no use.
§ Sir FRANCIS CHANNINGIs not this a new departure on the part of the Board of Agriculture? We have had other similar Returns from the Board of Agriculture before, and I would ask the hon. Gentleman to reconsider the question.
§ Sir E. STRACHEYI will certainly reconsider the question, but these figures would not compare with the figures already given.
§ Mr. STANIERIf I put the question down again, would the right hon. Gentleman see his way to give the figures asked for?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYI can only inform the hon. Member that the Board have gone very carefully into this matter and say the figures would be of no value.
§ Mr. J. CULLINANWill the hon. Gentleman, in reconsidering the question, bear in mind that to give the proportion of expenditure to population would be most misleading?
§ Mr. COURTHOPEMay I ask on what ground the hon. Gentleman says the figures are of no value?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYThey cannot compare them owing to the different conditions of agriculture in the various countries.