45. Major BARNESasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the use of public funds by the Agricultural Organisation Society promoting a private trading concern, as indicated in No. 3 of the Guides to Smallholders issued by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, he will cause an inquiry to be made into the methods of that organisation in order to ascertain how far the moneys voted by Parliament are being devoted to the purposes for which they were granted?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD Of AGRICULTURE (Sir Arthur Boscawen)I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answers which I gave yesterday both to himself and to the hon. Members for the Hamilton Division of Lanark and the Spenny Moor Division of Durham. The methods of the Agricultural Organisation Society and its expenditure of the moneys granted to it from public funds are kept under close review by the Board. It is not proposed to institute any special inquiry.