§ 73. Mr. HAYDN JONESasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that the Welsh Church Com missioners own most of the tithe rent-charge in Wales and are, according to their Annual Reports, spending about £20,000 in putting their tithe rentals in order, he will consider the desirability of transferring to them the powers and duties of the Ministry of Agriculture in connection with altered apportionments of tithe rentcharge vested in them?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Guinness)I imagine that the intention of Parliament in entrusting to the Ministry the powers and duties to which 454 the hon. Members refers was to ensure that they should be carried out with due regard to all the interests concerned. The transactions referred to alter the liability of the land to tithe rentcharge and thus directly affect the landowners concerned. I am not therefore prepared to introduce legislation with a view of transferring these powers to a body representing one interest only, namely, that of the tithe owner.