§ 41. Sir Percy Hurdasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that essential agricultural production in support of the Government's food campaign policy is still being seriously interfered with by military operations, for instance, in the Swindon and Marlborough areas; and whether there has been any consultation between the local military command and the Wiltshire County War Executive Agricultural Committee to obviate this interference, and with what results?
§ Mr. StanleyThe needs of military training cannot, unfortunately, be met without interference with agricultural interests, but every effort has been made to reduce this disadvantage to a minimum, and the War Office has throughout maintained close consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture. In the case of the area to which my hon. Friend refers particularly, there has been consultation with a representative of the county war 454 executive agricultural committee, and various modifications in the proposals originally put forward by the military authorities were made.
§ Sir P. HurdIs my right hon. Friend considering the instances given to him where fences have been broken down, gates left open where stock is, and tanks and guns taken where lambing is going on, greatly to the detriment of agricultural operations?
§ Mr. StanleyI will look into cases of negligence, but we do make every effort when we take ground for training purposes to arrange beforehand with the local inhabitants to try and make use of the ground in a way that will cause the least possible damage to agriculture.