§ 51. Mr. WILESasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if his attention has been called to the position of farmers in Foulness Island who, owing to the uncertainty of the tenure on which they hold their farms from the War Office, are ceasing to fully cultivate the land, and that, consequently, labourers are leaving the island; is he aware that many of the leases terminate next Michaelmas, and that, unless the farmers obtain an early assurance of a further renewal, this fertile island, which produces large quantities of corn of fine quality, is likely to go out of cultivation and become depopulated; and will he say what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Mr. TENNANTNotices to quit at Michaelmas next have been served on the tenants of farms recently purchased by the War Office, to enable the Department to deal with the land falling within the danger zone of the experimental ranges. The question of reletting the land after Michaelmas is receiving consideration, and it is hoped that it will be possible, at all events in the case of land outside the danger zone, to allow such of the existing tenants as wish to do so to continue in occupation for another year, subject to such conditions as may be necessary to meet military requirements.
§ Mr. TENNANTThey ought to have received them by now; they have been served.