75. Captain TERRELLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the cases of eviction that are taking place on the Earl of Aylesford's Packington Estate in Warwickshire; and, if so, whether any representations on the subject have been made by the Ministry to the landlord?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (Sir Arthur Boscawen)Yes, Sir, it has been repeatedly represented to the Ministry that notices to quit have been unreasonably served by the Earl of Ayles-ford on the tenants of the Packington Estate in Warwickshire. Unfortunately the legal position is one as between landlord and tenant, and I much regret that, in the existing state of the law, the Ministry have no power to intervene. The question of amending the law in the direction of giving the Ministry power to intervene in cases where an estae is being managed in such a manner as to prejudice the production of food thereon is now under consideration, and it is hoped to deal with it in the promised Agriculture Bill.
§ Mr. W. THORNEIs not this one of those estates which is very heavily mortgaged; and has the Earl any control over it all?