HC Deb 28 January 1918 vol 101 cc1279-80
6. Captain WRIGHT

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether application was recently made by a director of the Staveley Coal and Iron Company, Limited, which is a manufacturer of basic slag, and of which the works are situated in Derbyshire, for permission sell basic slag to farmers in the above county, who having, in response to the appeals of his Department, put quantities of sulphate of ammonia on their land, are now urgently in need of basic slag or lime which they cannot obtain; and that the above application has been refused on the ground that 25,000 tons of basic slag must be sent to Ireland; and whether he will take steps to secure that the local and other English farmers shall, at any rate as regards securing a fair share of the available supplies of basic slag, not be put in a worse position than Irish farmers, who, owing to the policy of the Government, nave fewer difficulties to contend with in the production of food?

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Prothero)

It appears to be the fact that basic slag ground in Derbyshire and the neighbouring counties was reserved for a time, so as to meet Irish orders for this product supported by the Irish Board of Agriculture. With regard to the third and last part of the question, I should perhaps point out that English farmers are now receiving basic slag considerably in excess of the pre-war quantity which they used, and that Irish farmers have not received more slag than is their proper share having regard to their acreage of food crops.

Captain WRIGHT

Is basic slag being held back to go to Ireland at the present moment?

Mr. PROTHERO

At the present moment I believe it is not, but I am not fully informed on that matter because I do not quite know whether the requirements arranged with the Irish Department of Agriculture are yet complete.

Mr. FIELD

Is the right lion. Gentleman aware of the fact that complaints have been forwarded to him from Ireland owing to the insufficient supply of fertilisers sent to that country?

Mr. PROTHERO

I believe that is the case.

Colonel YATE

If the right hon. Gentleman gives Ireland basic slag, will he ask the Irish Department of Agriculture to give us some butter?

Mr. FIELD

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman provide the butter; will he make it himself?