§ 19. Mr. G. LAMBERTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state the arrangements made for the ingathering of the coming harvest, in view of the depletion of agricultural labour?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Prothero)We are again organising a considerable supply of additional local labour which is available for harvest time. This labour we propose to supplement—
- (1) By convalescent soldiers from the convalescent camps, under arrangement with the War Office. We have also consulted the Dominion authorities as to the possible release of their convalescents for the harvest.
- (2) War agricultural volunteers, who are now being enrolled.
- (3) School boys from the public and secondary schools.
- (4) Women from the Land Army, which has been carrying on a successful recruiting campaign.
1384 - (5) Local authorities and chief constables are being asked to release as many men as possible, and the Road Board has been approached as to the release of roadmen.
- (6) The Air Board and the Admiralty have issued instructions that men in camps are to be encouraged to volunteer to assist local farmers whenever their services can be spared.
- (7) An additional supply of German prisoners.
§ Mr. LAMBERTCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether there will be an adequate supply of skilled labour for the working of self-binding machinery during the coming harvest?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThat is our great difficulty. The withdrawal of a very large number of horsemen obviously renders that somewhat doubtful. I hope it will be met.
§ Mr. BILLINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that quite recently the Home Office dealt severely with policemen assisting on allotments, and will he take steps to see that any policemen who come forward to assist with the harvest will not be penalised for so doing?
§ Mr. PROTHEROI was not aware of the fact brought forward by the hon. Gentleman. Of course, the police have given us very valuable assistance throughout previous harvests, and I hope they will continue to do it.
§ 22. Mr. PENNEFATHERasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can yet say whether the prospective supply of agricultural labour available after this harvest can, or cannot be, better employed in the interests of food production in cultivating land already ploughed rather than in breaking up extra land now under grass?
§ Mr. PROTHEROI assume that the question refers to the harvest of 1919. The greater the shortage of skilled labour, the greater the need of concentrating it on good land. In the interests, therefore, of food production, some cases will occur where the available labour may be more advantageously employed in breaking up suitable grass than in cultivating the poorest land now under the plough.
§ 24. Mr. G. LAMBERTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will represent to the Army authorities the 1385 necessity of releasing some of the skilled agricultural labour recently taken for the purpose of securing the harvest?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThe recent decision of the Cabinet that further calling-up notices to men employed whole-time in agriculture should be suspended until after harvest is the utmost concession that was found to be possible under existing circumstances.
§ Mr. LAMBERTIs my right hon. Friend aware of the fact that there is a great risk of a large portion of the coming harvest not being harvested at all?
§ Mr. PROTHEROI am well aware that there is such a risk. I hope we shall be able to guard against it; I am not confident.
§ Mr. MOUNTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in a large number of counties which have endeavoured to work up to time, the concession to release a number of these men by the suspension of the calling-up notices is of very little use at all, seeing that calling-up notices have already gone out?
§ Mr. PROTHEROA wholly illogical position has arisen, and the counties which were the most active and loyal in carrying out the directions to find their quota are penalised.
§ 26. Mr. ROCHasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has been called to the position which has arisen in many counties owing to the recent call up of agricultural workers; whether he is aware that in many areas it will be impossible to gather the harvest owing to lack of labour, and that in some cases farmers will be forced to graze their hay and other crops; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Mr. PROTHEROIn answer to this question I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I have just given to the right hon. Member for South Molton on the same subject.
§ Mr. ROCHIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to run the risk of this wastage of some portion of the harvest?
§ Mr. PROTHEROI am personally not prepared to run any risk of that sort, but the decision is that the war necessity for men is paramount; that being so, the risk must be run.
§ Mr. ROCHIs the right hon. Gentleman really prepared to say that for the sake of releasing 15,000 men for six weeks it is worth jeopardising the harvest?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThat is a question for the Government to consider; and the Government have decided that it is.
§ Mr. PRINGLEWill the 15,000 be available for this year's campaign?
§ Mr. PROTHEROI believe that the 15,000 men will be available towards the middle of September.
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIf the President of the Board of Agriculture tells us that he is not confident that a large part of the harvest may not be wasted this year owing to lack of labour, will he tell the House of Commons what steps he has taken to avert that danger?
§ Mr. PROTHEROI would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I have just given to my right hon. Friend the Member for South Molton.
§ Mr. ROCHI beg to give the right hon. Gentleman notice that I shall seek to move the Adjournment of the House upon this question after Question Time.