HC Deb 16 March 1944 vol 398 cc397-9
53. Mr. Ness Edwards

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that Ty Gwyn Farm, Gilwern, near Abergavenny; was sold by auction for £6,500 and was subsequently sold for £8,000 to a contractor when he gave his consent to a notice to quit to the tenant who had farmed the land for the whole of his lifetime and without knowing what type of tenant was to take his place and what steps he is taking to prevent such speculative transactions in land.

51 and 52. Mr. Jackson

asked the Minister of Agriculture (1) if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Mr. Llewellyn, Ty Gwyn Farm, Gilwern, Breconshire, was given notice to quit on 2nd September, 1943, after his farm had been twice sold and whether it is the policy of the Ministry to allow uncontrolled speculation in farms to take place;

(2) whether his Ministry conferred with the Breconshire War Agricultural Executive Committee before he gave his consent to a notice to quit to Mr. Llewellyn, Ty Gwyn Farm, Gilwern, and with what result.

Mr. Hudson

An application by the purchaser of Ty Gwyn Farm for consent to a notice to quit to be served on the sitting tenant, received last September, was referred to the Brecon War Agricultural Executive Committee for investigation and report in accordance with the normal procedure, and the decision to consent was taken after full consideration of the Committee's report. The price paid by the purchaser was not reported. No evidence was found to suggest that the purchase by the present owner was speculative in character and my Department was satisfied before consent was given that there was a good prospect of increased food production as a result of the notice becoming operative. It is my policy to prevent uncontrolled speculation in farms, but my powers under Defence Regulation 62 (4A) have to be exercised judicially, and in this case no sufficient justification for refusing consent was found.

Mr. Ness Edwards

Is not the Minister aware that the war agricultural executive committee did not favour the termination of the tenancy of this farm; that this farmer is a perfectly good farmer, and that the notice to quit was given before the new tenant had been chosen? In those circumstances, is not the Minister facilitating the robbing of decent farmers of their livelihood?

Mr. Hudson

I cannot accept the implications of that supplementary question. My information is that the new tenant is known to be in possession of capital, and of the advice of first-class farmers to carry out his intention of increasing food production on this farm. The present farmer is only a B farmer and not an A farmer and I am satisfied that food production will increase and not decrease as a result of my action.

Mr. Ness Edwards

Should not that decision have been made by the war agricultural executive committee? Are they not competent to decide what should happen?

Mr. Hudson

No, Sir, the responsibility is mine.

Mr. Ness Edwards

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I give notice that I shall raise the matter again at an early date.