36. Mr. Owen Evansasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the chairmen of the county war agricultural executive committees will be paid officials of the Ministry; how, and by whom, members of the committees will be appointed; whether he will assure himself that they will consist of practical progressive farmers in the respective areas; and whether the powers of the committees will be sufficiently broad to take full account of local conditions of agriculture?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithThe chairmen of the county war agricultural executive committees will act in an honorary capacity. The members will be appointed by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and will of course include practical and progressive farmers. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithNot until the unfortunate eventuality of war arises.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsCan the right hon. Gentleman state the basis on which these county agricultural committees are to be selected?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithTrying to get the most suitable men to do the work.
37. Mr. Evansasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the information collected by the agricultural departments, and prepared in a suitable form for the proposed executive committees, will also be made available generally for use of farmers?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithThe information in question will be required by the committees in connection with the duties proposed to be entrusted to them in the event of war, and will not be of use to individual farmers.
Mr. EvansDoes the right hon. Gentleman not realise that information of this character would be most valuable to practical farmers in carrying out the job?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithIt is a different type of information.
38. Mr. Evansasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that millions of acres are greatly under-farmed and that their fertility can only be recovered by drastic and intensive treatment, he will consider the advisability of constituting the executive committees at the earliest possible moment, with authority to make a survey of land within their respective areas and with adequate powers to cause the necessary steps to be taken quickly by landlords and farmers to bring about the desired improvements?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithThe suggestion underlying the hon. Member's question seems to be that the agricultural industry should be immediately placed on a wartime basis. This, in the Government's view should be unnecessary and undesirable from many points of view. I would, however, remind the hon. Member of the announcement which I made in the House on 3rd May, as regards the Government's immediate plans.
Mr. EvansInasmuch as the Government have decided to place the country on a war footing by the adoption of conscription, is it not now necessary to put the country on a war footing in regard to the production of food?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithThere is a distinction between the two.
§ Mr. W. RobertsHas there been any survey of the land which is suitable for ploughing up?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithAs I announced the other day, there is a mass of information as regards what has happened since the last War and the present moment, and that information will be made available.