§ 4. Mr. SCURRasked the Under-secretary of State for India whether he is now 598 in a position to inform the House of the personnel of the Royal Commission appointed to examine and report on the present conditions of agricultural and rural economy in British India; and whether the Secretary of State will take into consideration the inclusion in the terms of reference of the Royal Commission of the question of existing systems of land ownership and tenancy and cognate subjects as being some of the main factors affecting the rural prosperity and welfare of the Indian agricultural population?
§ Earl WINTERTONI am not yet in a position to make any statement as to the personnel of the Royal Commission. As regards the terms of reference these were decided upon after the most careful consideration in consultation with the Provincial Governments who are primarily concerned, and it was thought undesirable and unnecessary to require a Commission entrusted with an inquiry regarding agricultural development to burden their inquiry by an exploration into land tenures and other cognate subjects.