§ 36. Mr. P. A. HARRISasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state the reason for the discrepancy between the quota of men to be withdrawn from agriculture in various counties; 1037 whether he is aware that only one in five men under thirty-one is to be withdrawn from agriculture in the counties of Pembroke and Carmarthen, while in the county of Leicester the quota fixed shows a ratio of one to one and a-half; and whether, in order to keep land in cultivation in Leicestershire, he will reconsider the quota from that county and thus prevent injury to the proper cultivation of land?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Sir Richard Winfrey)The contribution of each county was fixed after careful consideration of the number of men already lost to agriculture and of the agricultural conditions prevailing in each county The quota allotted to the three counties mentioned are: Leicester 500, Pembroke 375, Carmarthen 500. The respective cultivated areas are: Leicester 474,000 acres, Pembroke 306,000 acres; Carmarthen 440,000 acres. And the war agricultural populations were: Leicester 6,623, Pembroke 4,198, Carmarthen 6,272. If the hon. Member has any figures to support his contention I should be much obliged if he would supply them to me.
§ Colonel GRETTONHas any account been taken of the numbers of men who have been withdrawn from the agricultural parts of those counties for service in the Army?
§ Sir R. WINFREYThat is also taken into account, of course. It is an element in the case.
§ 75. Sir J. SPEARasked the Minister of National Service if he is aware that, in order to obtain the demanded quota for men for the Army in the county of Devon, men are being taken from farms who are indispensable, if the crops are to be saved and the food supply assured; and, in view of this, will he consult the tribunals with the object of modifying the demand?
§ Mr. BECKThe quotas on each county were fixed by the Board of Agriculture, who had regard to the circumstances and requirements of the different counties. I am not aware that the quota demanded from Devon will endanger the present crop being harvested. I regret that it would not be possible to consult tribunals on the matter.
§ Sir J. SPEARIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the lack of cottages in some parts of the country compels farmers to 1038 engage young men who can live in the farmhouse, that under the clean-cut they will all be removed, and that no skilled men will be left on the farm, and is he aware that where there are cottages some of them are occupied by the dependants of men on active service who cannot therefore be turned out?