§ 51. Sir Henry Morris-Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of losses caused to sheep farmers and to the country in the uplands of Denbighshire through there being no facilities for sheep dipping; whether he will arrange with rural authorities to make such provisions; and whether farmers who have already suffered losses will be compensated?
§ The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. R. S. Hudson)I am not aware that losses among sheep have been caused through a lack of dipping facilities in Denbighshire, but if the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars, I will have inquiries made into the matter.
§ 52. Sir H. Morris-Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that there is no representative on the Denbigh County War Agricultural Committee of an extensive rural area comprising Llangollen, Ceiriog Valley and the part of Denbighshire beyond Oswestry, comprising over a quarter of the county; and whether he will arrange for its representation?
§ Mr. HudsonThe personnel of all county war agricultural executive committees is under constant review. It is not, however, the function of members to represent any particular county area, and I am not prepared to make a fresh appointment merely because no existing member lives in a particular part of a county.
§ Sir H. Morris-JonesWhile the committee has done its work well, does not the right hon. Gentleman think it very undesirable that over a. quarter of a county, and that an agricultural part, should be disfranchised from a committee of this character, and would it not be conducive to harmony and efficiency if this area had an agriculturist to represent it?
§ Mr. HudsonI have explained that I do not consider it is the function of members of a county agricultural executive committee to represent any particular part of a county.
§ Sir H. Morris-JonesThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my question. Does he think it right to disfranchise a quarter of a county from representation?
§ Mr. HudsonI have explained that members of war agricultural executive committees are not appointed in order to represent particular parts of counties. There is no question of a part of a county being disfranchised.
§ Sir H. Morris-JonesIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.
§ 53. Sir H. Morris-Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is 1246 aware that oat crops grown on some upland farms in Denbighshire have been condemned as unfit for horse-feed; that 50 cwts. of expensive oat seed on one farm resulted in a crop of only 40 cwts.; and whether, in view of these facts, he will review his policy of compulsory cultivation of land which is unsuitable and is best left for sheep-grazing?
§ Mr. HudsonI am aware that individual crops sometimes fail in Denbighshire, as elsewhere, for one reason or another, but in the absence of particulars I cannot identify the instances mentioned. With regard to the second part of the Question, I have no reason to suppose that unsuitable land has been cultivated.