§ 40. Mr. ESSLEMONTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, an view of the complaints which have been made by and on behalf of landowners regarding the method and character of the Land Inquiry which is being carried out at his request he can arrange that schedules will be sent to those owners who express a desire to furnish information?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI have no doubt that the Committee will gladly comply with the suggestion made by my hon. Friend. I understand that a number of landowners have already sent in very valuable replies.
§ 43. Mr. WEIGALLasked whether copies of the evidence and Reports of the Departmental Committee on the position of tenant farmers, etc., which sat last year, have been or will be supplied to members of the secret land committee?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThis is a matter that rests with the Land Inquiry Committee itself to determine.
§ Mr. WEIGALLCan the right hon. Gentleman give the House any reason why the information sought for could not be obtained either by means of a Royal Commission or a Departmental Committee?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThat surely does not arise out of this question. It simply asked for information upon a specific point.
§ Viscount HELMSLEYDoes it not arise from the fact that, if it were a Royal Commission or Departmental Committee it would naturally be in a position to call evidence from the Committee which has already reported?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI have not the faintest doubt that they will possess themselves of all the information available.
§ Mr. CHAPLINQuite apart from all this, I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he himself will take steps to see that this information is furnished to the particular body in question? He has the power to do it.
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI think the suggestion that the right hon. Gentleman makes is very valuable. I will communicate it to the Land Inquiry Committee as coming from him.
44. Mr. PEELasked the right lion. Gentleman whether he will exercise his influence in persuading the hon. Member for Halifax to remove from the Order Paper his blocking Motion, which prevents any discussion in this House upon the proceeding and operations of the secret Land Inquiry Committee?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEAs I said yesterday, no one would welcome the removal of this notice more than myself, and I have already made representations to that effect to my hon. Friend.
Mr. PEELWill the Chancellor of the Exchequer, until the matter is discussed, agree to withdraw these land spies?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEDiscussion of the matter in the House does not rest with me. If it did, I should certainly welcome a discussion. I had nothing whatever to do with putting the Motion down, and, as my hon. Friend knows, I have done my best to have it removed.
§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTHas not the right hon. Gentleman, in answering question 40, dealt with the precise point raised by the hon. and learned Member for Cambridge University?