§ 32. Mr. STOURTONasked the Minister of Agriculture what steps the Ministry of Agriculture take to ascertain the extent of migration of agricultural labourers from Northern and Southern Ireland to England?
§ Major ELLIOTSuch information as is available in my Department is obtained from reports of outdoor officers who, in the course of their normal duties, furnish information as to the condition of agricultural employment in their districts and who are asked to include at appropriate seasons any information which comes into their possession as to the extent to which workers from Ireland are being engaged or employed for work on the land.
§ Mr. STOURTONDoes the right hon. and gallant Gentleman realise that we have already a grave unemployment problem in agriculture, and cannot he undertake, in the circumstances, to restrict the migration of Irish agricultural labourers into this country?
§ Mr. HEALYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that Englishmen occupy many of the best-paid posts in Ireland? Will he arrange to call them home?
§ Major ELLIOTI will not interfere in Irish internal affairs. In response to the first supplementary question, I may say that there are no powers in the Department by which any such restrictions could be imposed.