§ 30. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Agriculture how many acres were in the early months of this year scheduled to be ploughed up in the counties of England and Wales; how many acres have already been broken up; how many still remain to be broken up; and when will the full scheduled acreage be under arable tillage?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Prothero)Complete information is not available as to the number of acres which have been scheduled by agricultural executive committees for breaking up, and in some counties the surveys are not yet completed. The board aim at securing the ploughing up of just over two million acres of grass for the harvest of 1918 over and above the 1916 area, and of this amount about 300,000 had already been ploughed by the beginning of June. No later figures are available. The full accomplishment of the task depends largely on the weather and on supplies of labour, and of tractor fuel.
§ Mr. KINGDo the facts in the right hon. Gentleman's possession justify the expectation of the Prime Minister that next year this country will be, so far as food goes, self-supporting?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThere will be a very large addition, I hope, made to the food supplies of the country, but how far the country, except with strict economy, can be made self-supporting in so short a time I am not in a position to say.
§ Mr. RAFFANArising out of the answer in which the right hon. Gentleman indicates that this development will depend upon the available supply of labour,. may I ask whether the Government are taking any steps to assist farmers?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThey are taking a great many steps to assist them, but I think it must be quite obvious to the House that recent developments of the military situation may render the supply of labour somewhat precarious at the present moment.
§ M r. BILLINGWill the right hon. Gentleman say what a farmer has to do exactly if he wants immediate assistance on his farm? To whom has he to apply?
§ Mr. PROTHEROIf he wants labour he has to apply to the Labour Committee of the county, which is generally in the county town.
§ M r. BILLINGI am speaking of the farmer who wants the assistance of enlisted men to work on the farm.
§ Mr. PROTHEROI have told the hon. Member. That is the answer.