HC Deb 24 May 1916 vol 82 cc2105-6
86. Mr. NEEDHAM

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is following up the letter of the President of the Board, issued in January, addressed to the mayors of all boroughs and county boroughs, drawing attention to the importance of utilising all available land for growing food-stuffs; whether he has precise information as to the extent to which the recommendations have been carried into effect; and will he state the number of war-food societies which have been formed and the extent of their activities?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Acland)

Replies to the President's letter have been received from a number of mayors stating what has been and is being done to provide allotments, but the Board have no precise information of the extent to which the suggestions made have been adopted. Neither can they state the number of war-food societies which have been formed as a result of the suggestions made in their leaflet to which I referred in my answer to the hon. Member's question of the 18th instant, or the extent of the activities of these societies.

Mr. NEEDHAM

Will the right hon. Gentleman encourage the movement stilt further?

Mr. ACLAND

As I have said before, the arrangements to increase allotments and to use existing allotments are well used. They have really been going very well.