§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he was aware that there was considerable difficulty in tracing inclosure awards made prior to 1845 owing to their being deposited, some with clerks of the peace for various counties, others with parish councils, stewards of manors, incumbents of parishes, diocesan registrars, the Public Record Office, the Office of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, the Land Registry in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and the deed registries at Beverley, Northallerton, and Wakefield, while others remained in private hands or among the manuscripts at the British Museum; and whether steps could be taken to secure that such awards or copies of them should be lodged for inspection at the Board of Agriculture?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am aware of the difficulty referred to, but I am afraid that the course suggested is impracticable.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTFor what reason is it impracticable?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIt would necessitate an enormous number of communications.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that such lodgment as is proposed in the question would immensely facilitate the tracing of titles and so simplify land transfer?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIf the hon. Gentleman can suggest an easier way of getting the information than by communications in each case, I shall be glad to consider the suggestion.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked whether in-closure awards made under the General Inclosures Act, 1845, were in the custody of the Board of Agriculture; whether a list of such awards made since the date of the House of Commons Return, No. 455, of 1873, was obtainable; if not, whether the above Return could be brought up to date; whether all the House of Commons Inclosure Returns which had been published were now out of print and unobtainable; and, if so, whether they could be reprinted without delay?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The awards made since the Return of 1893 are set out in the Board's Annual Report of Proceedings under the Tithe, Copyhold, Inclosure, and other Acts for the year 1910, of which I have already sent the hon. Member a copy. If the hon. Member will specify precisely the Returns to which he refers in the fourth and fifth parts of the question I will make inquiries at the Stationery Office.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTWould it not be a very great convenience to conveyancers and others throughout the country if all these reports were collected under one head at the Board of Agriculture?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have no doubt it would be for the convenience of conveyancers. I will communicate with the Stationery Office to see whether the suggestion can be carried out.