HC Deb 24 March 1926 vol 193 cc1209-11
33. Mr. HAYDN JONES

asked the Minister of Agriculture what new Departments have been created in the Ministry of Agriculture since 1914, their duties and respective costs?

Mr. GUINNESS

With the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving the desired information.

Following is the statement:

Department or Branch. Duties. Approximate cost during current financial year (see footnote).
£
Land Drainage Branch Matters arising under the Sewers Acts and Laud Drainage Acts, including the making of Orders, and Administration of the Ministry's powers under the Land Drainage Act, 1918. Questions relating to the reclamation of land for agricultural purposes. 8,537
Labour Branch Questions affecting agricultural labour, and particularly the administration of the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act, 1924, including the secretarial work of the Agricultural Wages Board and the 47 Agricultural Wages Committee and the securing of the proper observance of the minimum rates of wages fixed under the Act. 31,931
Markets and Co-operation Branch Questions connected with co-operation and the marketing of agricultural produce generally; conduct of investigation into the methods of marketing such produce. 11,704
Granting of loans to co-operative societies. Administration of the British Sugar (Subsidy) Act, 1925.
Questions relating to agricultural credit and particularly in relation to the Agricultural Credits Act, 1923. Formation and administration of Agricultural Credit Societies under Section 2 of this Act.
National Stud (Live stock Branch). Breeding of high-class thoroughbred horses 33,000*
NOTE.—The figures given in this column represent the administrative costs of the Department or Branch i.e., salaries, travelling and incidental expenses, but do not include the proportionate part of the general services expenditure (Establishment, Registr., Finance, Typing, Cleaning, etc., which have not been separately assessed). The figures are also exclusie of expenditure borne on the Votes for other Departments, i.e., for office accommodation, printing, stationery, postages, etc.
*Receipts are, however, expected to amount to £39,500, i.e., £6,500 more than the payments