§ 39. Mr. Priceasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider instituting a comprehensive survey of the capabilities of the land of Great Britain?
§ The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. W. S. Morrison)A great deal of information about the capabilities of the land is obtained through inquiries made by or in connection with my Department and the Department of Agriculture for Scotland, and by certain outside bodies. I am satisfied that the present procedure is preferable to that of embarking on a single comprehensive survey.
§ Mr. PriceIs the Minister aware that the Bedfordshire County Council have decided to undertake a comprehensive survey in this area; and is it not better that such a survey should be carried out by the central authority rather than by the local authority?
§ Mr. MorrisonNo, Sir, and as the present system is elastic, surveys of a local character are undertaken as the need arises.