§ 78. Captain C. BATHURSTasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the present, and still more of the prospective, shortage of labour on the farms and of the fact that thousands of acres of land have consequently been left unsown this autumn which would otherwise have been sown with wheat, the Government will now authorise the employment, under proper safeguards, of suitable boys over twelve years of age from elementary and secondary schools without the loss to the local education authorities of the Government Grant payable in respect of boys released from school for this purpose?
§ Sir S. COLLINSWill the Government take into consideration the advisability of making use of the labour of some of the tens of thousands of soldiers up and down the country? Some of them are doing very little and some of them would be glad to be at work.
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is being taken into consideration. I cannot accept without reserve the statements contained in the hon. and gallant Member's question, and I do not think his suggestion would be practicable.