45. Mr. F. HALLasked the Prime Minister whether the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer recently that Great Britain is wholly an industrial country and is utterly unsuited to the establishment of a great peasant proprietorship represents the considered views of the Cabinet on this subject; whether the Government has decided to take no action with the object of assisting peasant proprietorship even in those districts in which agriculture is the principal occupation of the workers; whether any exception will be made in the case of Wales; and if it is intended to continue the policy of taxing English workers to pay for land purchase in Ireland while withholding similar opportunities from them?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)I see no reason to differ from the views expressed by my right hon. Friend on the subject of peasant proprietorship, which I think are not adequately or accurately represented in the question. As I have already stated, the policy of the Government with regard to Land Reform will be announced in due course.
Mr. F. HALLMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether I am to understand that the question, as placed on the Paper, is not a correct construction of the statement made by the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, I do not think that it is.