§ 47. Sir A. MARKHAMasked the Prime Minister, having regard to the fact that His Majesty's Government regarded the maintenance of home-grown food supplies of great national importance, if he is aware that, despite the protests and warnings of the President of the Board of Agriculture, tribunals administering the Military Service Act continue to take men from the land; whether he has powers to grant to the Board of Agriculture the right to review the decisions of local tribunals; and, if not, will he seek powers from the House to give the Board this right?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am aware that there has been some diversity of practice in the method by which tribunals in agricultural districts have carried out their duties, but I understand that the President of the Local Government Board is about to circularise the tribunals with a view to making the position more clear. He has no power to grant the Board of Agriculture the right to review the decisions of local tribunals, and he does not, as at present advised, think it necessary to seek powers from the House to give the Board that right.
§ Sir A. MARKHAMWill it not be too late to issue instructions to the tribunals, seeing that so many men have already been taken—250,000?