§ 101. Mr. G. LAMBERTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the present high price of food is inflicting hardship on a large part of the population; whether farms are sufficiently equipped with labour to produce the maximum of home-grown foodstuffs; whether, if not, he will take steps to supply farmers with a sufficiency of labour on condition that the produce is sold not at excessive, but at fairly remunerative, rates; and, whether inquiry has shown that small pigs have been slaughtered because it will not pay to rear them on account of the high price of feeding stuffs?
§ Sir R. WINFREYMy right hon. Friend will, I hope, find sufficient answer to his question in the speech delivered by the President of the Board yesterday. With regard to the slaughter of young pigs on account of the high price of feeding stuffs, I will refer to the answer given by me on the 19th in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Devonport.
§ Mr. LAMBERTWill the hon. Gentleman tell us what is the date when the proposed minimum price of 60s. per quarter for wheat will commence?
§ Sir R. WINFREYI am afraid I must have notice of that.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that young pigs are being sold in Norfolk at 61s., whereas a few weeks ago they fetched £l to £l 5s.?
§ 103. Mr. LAMBERTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can, before the House is prorogued, make any statement to relieve the present uncertainty as to the recruitment of agricultural labour; and whether the policy announced by the late Prime Minister as to irreplaceable agricultural labour still holds?
§ Sir R. WINFREYI have at the moment nothing to add to the statement which was made on this subject by the President 1600 yesterday. A further statement will be made when the War Office have considered the analysis of the agricultural census which they have been taking.
§ Mr. LAMBERTCould the hon. Gentleman give us any idea when that further announcement will be made—it is most important?
§ Sir R. WINFREYWe are doing our best.
§ Sir T. WALTERSIn dealing with this question, will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that large numbers of highly-skilled agricultural workers have only limited exemptions until the end of January, and in many cases substitutes have been asked for them? Will the hon. Gentleman consider the great loss of competent agricultural labourers?
§ Sir R. WINFREYThese men are not going to be taken in January.
§ 105. Mr. RAFFANasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the anxiety felt by the farming community as to the depletion of labour from the land, he can now state what action is to be taken with reference to the number of men engaged in agricultural employment whose period of exemption from military service expires on 2nd January, 1917?
§ Sir R. WINFREYThe Army Council propose shortly to issue a notice to the effect that men employed in agriculture who were to be called up on 1st January next and subsequent dates shall not now be called up until a complete review of the situation can be made in the light of the information disclosed by the analysis of the agricultural census. Such men will, therefore, subject to the conditions set out in the notice, be allowed to remain in their civil occupations until further instructions are issued.