HC Deb 06 July 1944 vol 401 cc1305-7
50. Mr. Price

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the terms of reference of the Commission appointed by the Government of India to inquire into the causes of food shortages and epidemics will cover inquiry into the steps which may be taken to improve generally the standard of agriculture and the system of land tenure.

Mr. Amery

The scope of the Famine Inquiry within its terms of reference will be determined by the Commission itself but in so far as the causes of and remedies for last year's food shortage in India are to be found in the sphere of agriculture and land tenure it may be assumed that these questions will be considerd by the Commission.

Mr. Price

Will the State make a point of insisting that this matter is seriously considered, in view of the fact that famine will be recurrent in India unless the land system and the question of agricultural production are seriously tackled?

Mr. Amery

Yes, Sir, but I think my, answer covers that point.

Mr. Price

Not altogether.

Mr. Silverman

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Commission will take into account the effect of the credit balances we were considering a little time ago on the question of famine conditions in India?

Mr. Amery

The terms of reference of the Commission are very wide and cover every aspect of the question.

Mr. Price

In view of the nature of the reply, Sir, I would like with your permission to raise this matter on the Adjournment on some future occasion.

51. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Secretary of State for India if he is aware of the public warning against a recurrence of famine conditions in India issued by 27 influential Indian industrialists and others; and whether he is satisfied that adequate steps have been taken to avoid such a recurrence.

Mr. Amery

Yes, Sir. The Government of India and the Provincial Governments have been actively pursuing the measures described in my answer to the hon. Member on the 6th April, and I would invite the hon. Member's attention to the statement recently issued by the Government of India about shipments of food grains to India in the current year as evidence of the determination of His Majesty's Government to give India every possible assistance.

Mr. Sorensen

Might I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether these 27 indus- trialists have brought any new factors to the notice of his Department or the Government of India?

Mr. Amery

No, Sir, not as far as I am aware.

Sir Frank Sanderson

Arising out of the original reply, will my right hon. Friend see that the food which is available does not get into the hands of the moneylenders as it did last year?

Mr. Amery

That is a matter for the local control.

Miss Ward

Has there been any improvement in communications, which presented a very real problem last year?

Mr. Amery

Undoubtedly it was one of the difficulties of the situation.