§ 54. Earl WINTERTONasked the Prime Minister if his attention has been called to several cases in the Home Counties, of which that of Mr. Sehmer, of Pulborough, is one, of persons of enemy origin but naturalised shortly before the War owning and farming land; if he is aware that, in each case, considerable local feeling and unrest has been caused in the neighbourhood where these persons are by their presence there, even though their loyalty to the Crown may not be in doubt; and whether he will, in any future land legislation, give to county councils the power to expropriate compulsorily all such persons and resell their land to any returned Service men in the locality who are anxious to obtain land?
§ Mr. SHORTTI have been asked to answer this question. Whenever any cases of the nature suggested in the first two paragraphs of the question have been brought to notice they have been thoroughly investigated and action taken if any good ground for suspicion was discovered, but in the great majority of cases no reason for uneasiness has been found. I am afraid I cannot give the promise asked with regard to future land legislation.
§ Earl WINTERTONMight I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will take into consideration that all these cases form a source of irritation, and that such unrest is most undesirable?