§ 48. General Sir George Jeffreysasked the Minister of Agriculture under what circumstances county agricultural executive committees advertise farms available for hiring; whether they accept the highest tender; whether the outgoing tenant, if on active service, has the right on his return of resuming occupation; how long are the periods of hiring; and whether the committee exercise supervision of the activities of new tenants?
§ The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. R. S. Hudson)As the answer is necessarily long, I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
§ Advertisements of this nature would no doubt relate to farms of which executive committees have taken possession, with my consent, under Defence Regulation 51; ordinarily a committee might be expected to accept the highest tender, subject to the person making the offer being able to satisfy the committee of his ability to farm the land properly and to obtain the maximum output from it. If the tenancy of the farm has been terminated, the occupier will have no right of re-entry when the committee relinquish possession. In cases where possession has been taken from an owner-occupier the owner will be entitled to resume occupation unless his title to do so has passed in the meantime to some other person. The maximum period of possession under Defence Regulations is three years after the end of the war, and contracts for occupation by some other person may be made for that period. I must point out, however, that at any time during the period of possession the land may be acquired by purchase under Section 9 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1941, if the conditions specified in paragraphs (b) and (c) of Sub-section (1) are satisfied. The answer to the last part of the Question is in the affirmative.