§ 43. Sir CHIOZZA MONEYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he has formed any estimate of the amount of agricultural labour which has been lost through recruiting; and if any estimate has been formed of the additional imports of food that will be required because of the loss of that labour?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Acland)I understand that returns received by the Board of Trade from over 9,000 farmers in Great Britain relating to the end of April show that 15.7 per cent. of their permanent male workpeople (including members of farmers' families) have joined His Majesty's Forces, while an additional 1.9 per cent. have taken civilian employment under the Government at camps and in similar work. This represents the withdrawal of about 150,000 men from agricultural employment (exclusive of farmers, nurserymen, etc., and all classes engaged in agriculture in Ireland). No estimate can be given of the probable yield of this year's harvest, but such information as has been received from farmers indicates that the area under cultivation is practically normal, and that the farmers have been enabled to achieve this largely by the concentration of such labour as was available on essential work.
§ 44. Sir CHIOZZA MONEYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the desirability of reducing imports during the War as much as possible, he has noticed that the large recruiting of agricultural labourers will lead to a reduction of agricultural production and therefore to increase importations of food; and 778 if he will direct the attention of the War Office to the subject in order that the financial position may not be worsened by unnecessary enlistment of essential producers?
§ Mr. ACLANDI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 10th June to the hon. Member for Perth, to which I have nothing to add at the moment.