§ 62. Lieut.-Colonel Acland-Troyteasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that considerable damage is done to market gardens and other agricultural land by the seeds of weeds, especially those growing on undeveloped building plots and other waste land; and whether he will consider amending the schedule to the Corn Production Acts (Repeal) Act, 1921, to include all weeds, and to enlarge the present powers of county councils to enable more prompt and effective action to be taken to prevent injury to adjacent land?
§ Mr. RamsbothamThe attention of the Ministry is drawn from time to time to cases of damage to agricultural land by the seeds of weeds, including weeds growing on undeveloped building plots and other waste land. Such cases are brought to the notice of the county agricultural committees, to whom the Ministry's powers under the Schedule to the Corn Production Acts (Repeal) Act, 1921, have been delegated. My right hon. Friend has no reason to believe that any weeds other than those scheduled are causing serious damage, or that county agricultural committees are in need of further powers to enable them to take more prompt and effective action.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Acland-TroyteIs my hon. Friend aware that market gardeners suffer very much from the seeds of smaller weeds which are not mentioned in the Schedule, and will be consider amending it?
§ Mr. T. WilliamsCould not the Minister solve this problem by taxing unused plots of land?