§ 14. Mr. Osborneasked the Under secretary of State for Air if he will consider derequisitioning land on Poplar Grove Farm, North Somercotes, at present used as a football ground, which the owner desires to plough for the growing of corn.
§ Mr. StracheyThe final disposal of the airfield as a whole has not yet been decided, but I will see whether we cannot free this piece of land for agricultural use at once. I will communicate with the hon. Member.
§ 27 Lieut.-Colonel Byersasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how and to whom his Department makes available airfields which can be used for farming.
§ 28. Mr. Snaddenasked the Undersecretary of State for Air whether he will give an undertaking that, when aerodromes on requisitioned land become available for agricultural use, they will be offered in the first place to the occupier at the time of requisition, and that they will not be put up to public tender until the previous occupier has been given the first refusal.
§ Mr. StracheyWhen an airfield is derequisitioned the land, of course, reverts to its owners, but at a number of airfields we still hold on requisition temporary arrangements for farming are being made. In these cases we have hitherto put the land up to public tender for letting. We have done this because all the hedges and tenancy boundaries have been obliterated in the making of an airfield, and it would not be practicable to offer the land for temporary farming divided up into its various tenancies. In future such airfields will not as a rule be offered for public tender, but we shall place them at the disposal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries who will arrange their temporary agricultural use.
§ Sir Ronald RossIs this the beginning of collective farming, and the liquidation of the Kulaks?
§ Mr. StracheyNo, Sir.
§ Mr. Quintin HoggWill the hon. Gentleman undertake that, wherever practicable, those whose land is derequisitioned will be given the first choice?
§ Mr. StracheyThat is a question of permanent derequisitioning. It comes back automatically to that.
§ Mr. HoggI was not directing attention to permanent derequisitioning, but I was asking that, where there was temporary derequisitioning for farming purposes, those whose land has been derequisitioned ought reasonably to be given the first choice, where practicable.
§ Mr. StracheyIn future that will be a question for the Minister of Agriculture.
§ Sir Ralph GlynIn the case of airfields that have not concrete, but only grass 420 runways, would the hon. Gentleman consider handing them back first?
§ Mr. StracheyI think that is another question.