§ Mr. WEDGWOODasked whether the Development Commissioners will consider favourably the grant of money from the Development Fund for the purposes of industrial as distinct from agricultural development?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe Development Commissioners are of course bound to consider any application coming within the scope of the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909. The questions how far the purposes named in the Act include industrial as well as agricultural development, and whether any particular application is within the scope of the Act, are not questions to which it seems possible to return a general answer.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODMay I ask whether the application from the Stoke-on-Trent Council was not refused by the Development Commissioners on the ground that their powers did not include the provision of money for industrial development?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo, Sir; that is not my recollection. The refusal had reference not to the general, but to the particular question proposed by the Stoke-on-Trent Pottery Association.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs the right hon. Gentleman aware I went to the Development Commissioners, and they told me that was the ground of their refusal? Can I see their letter?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI do not know what the Development Commissioners told my hon. Friend. All I know is what they stated in their letter to me.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODCan I see the letter?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI see no objection.
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYIs not the money for economic developments, whether industrial or agricultural?
§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTWould not any grant for the purposes of industrial development be ultra vires?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThis only shows the difficulty of answering questions raised by my hon. Friend and by the hon. Gentleman opposite at question time. Surely these are matters for debate?
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs the right hon. Gentleman aware I raised this question on the adjournment of the House, and got no answer.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI am aware of that, and I endeavoured twice to reply to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the statement in the recently issued Report of the Small Holdings Commissioners that a considerable number of county councils have already expressed their desire to appoint organisers of agricultural co-operation if the necessary funds are placed at their disposal, he will specify which of the county councils have expressed this desire?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Sir E. Strachey)Formal applications for grants for the purpose in question have been made by the county councils of
In other cases the Board have been approached informally on the subject by the 1340 officers of the councils, but no further action has been taken on their being informed that the Board had themselves submitted proposals to the Commissioners which would enable grants to be made.
- Carmarthen,
- Cornwall,
- Glamorgan,
- Gloucester,
- Monmouth,
- Northumberland,
- Oxford,
- Salop,
- Somerset,
- Wilts,
- Worcester,
- York (West Hiding).
Sir GILBERT PARKERMay I ask if it is the intention of the Board of Agriculture, if possible, to make grants not only to county councils, but to the Agricultural Organisation Society for this purpose; and, in that case, will it not be an additional responsibility which will not make for efficiency?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYI think the hon. Member must not take it that the Board of Agriculture are going to bind themselves in any particular way with regard to these grants.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked whether the Board, before applying to the Development Commissioners for a grant from the Development Fund to be applied by the county councils towards the promotion of agricultural co-operation, consulted the councils as to their financial requirements for this purpose, or whether the application of the Board was spontaneous, and based entirely on its own initiative and calculations?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYInformal communications took place between the County Councils Association and the Board, before the Board submitted their application to the Development Commissioners.
§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, before applying to the Development Commissioners for a grant out of the Development Fund to be used for the purpose of promoting agricultural co-operation, the Board consulted the Agricultural Organisation Society as to the amount required for this purpose, the method of its application, and the proper channel for its appropriation?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYNo. Sir, but the Board are represented on the Committee of Management of the Society, and they were well aware of the views entertained on the subject by the more active members of that Committee.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs this a point on which the President of the Board and the hon. Baronet are in agreement?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYI must ask for notice of that.