§ 91. Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has received complaints of the excessive assessment of land used for poultry breeding; and whether he can issue an Order that such land should be assessed on the lower scale as agricultural land?
§ Sir A. MONDI have been asked to reply. The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I have no power to issue such an Order as that suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend.
§ 94. Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Minister of Health if he is aware of a concerted movement by local authorities to prevent poultry keeping in urban and semi-urban areas; and, as such action would seriously reduce home food production, whether he will issue Regulations to prevent undue interference by local authorities with poultry keeping?
§ Sir A. MONDI have no power to issue such Regulations, and I have no evidence of a concerted movement against poultry keeping among local authorities. In the past 18 months six specific complaints against local authorities have been received through the National Poultry Council or the Ministry of Agriculture, with both of whom my Department is in close touch in these matters.