§ 14. Mr. CHAPLINasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether any Report or Reports have been made to the President of the 651 Board of Agriculture by the Agricultural Consultative Committee appointed by him early in the month of August, the names of the members of that Committee being published at the time; if so, do they contain any recommendations calculated to encourage and increase the growth of any article or articles of food, including [...]heat, within the United Kingdom, and any recommendations for the purpose of increasing the supply of agricultural labour in districts where the dearth of it is now complained of as becoming very serious; what was the purport of such recommendations, if any have been made; if so, when they were made; and will they be laid upon the Table, and, if so, when?
§ Sir H. VERNEYThe Board received a formal Report, dated the 24th August, from their Consultative Committee. This Report was marked "Private and confidential. For the information of the Board of Agrilculture only, and not for publication." In these circumstances I am unable to comply with the right hon. Gentleman's request. I may say, however, that the Committee have from time to time submitted suggestions to the Board which have been widely distributed. I shall be happy to supply the right hon. Member with copies of the notices issued which deal with both the matters referred to. In addition, the members of the Committee have had an opportunity of criticising before issue many of the Board's special leaflets and notices prepared as a result of the War, and have been in constant consultation with officers of the Board.
§ Mr. CHAPLINMay I ask the hon. Gentleman if the particulars he has been kind enough to supply to me are also to be considered as private and confidential! Do the papers contain any recommendations calculated to encourage and increase the growth of any article or articles of food in the United Kingdom? Do they include recommendations calculated to increase the supply of agricultural labour in districts where there is a shortage of labour?
§ Sin H. VERNEYThe right hon. Gentleman asked if we had received a Report. We received a Report on 24th August. It was private and confidential, and not for publication. Besides that, we have issued a number of Papers not private. They were issued to the right hon. Gentleman, 652 but perhaps he put them in the paper basket in the usual way.
§ Mr. CHAPLINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have received no Papers, confidential or otherwise?
§ Sir H. VERNEYI am not aware of that.