§ 8. Sir P. Hannonasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement on the arrangements which have been made with machinery committees of county war agricultural executives for the distribution of tractors during the current month and the month of November?
§ The Minister of Agriculture (Colonel Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith)Particulars of my Department's plans regarding the organisation of agricultural machinery for the ploughing-up campaign are contained in a circular letter issued to county war agricultural executive committees on 18th September, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend. Committees who have notified my Department that they are in a position to use tractors have had an initial consignment delivered to them. Further supplies will be sent during the current month and in November if required.
§ Mr. ThorneIs the Minister completely satisfied with the amount of land which is now being ploughed up?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithIt is going very well.
§ Mr. de RothschildIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman taking steps to differentiate between the kinds of land to which these tractors are going; is he 7 aware that in parts of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire farmers are dissatisfied with the tractors they have got; and will he see that they get the right tractors for their types of land?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithWe are trying to see to that. The House will realise that our choice of home manufacturers was limited when we started to build up these reserves.