§ 32. Mr. Grimstonasked the Secretary of State for War if he is now able to state the intentions of his Department with regard to the return of the civilian population to the village of Imber in Wiltshire.
§ Mr. LawsonWith the exception of five properties, including the church, the Imber battle training area, including Imber village, is the property of the War Department. Large sums of public money were spent on acquiring it for military training and it is in fact the only large infantry battle training area owned by the War Department. All the letting agreements in Imber contained a provision enabling the War Department to determine the tenancy if, inter alia, the property was required for naval, military or air force purposes. In other words, all the lettings were subject to the requirements of military training. Notice was duly given. The War Department's tenants, therefore, were not dispossessed by requisition under the Defence Regulations but under a resumption clause which has always formed part of the agreements by which they occupied their farms. The future of Imber village depends upon the type and intensity of the training allotted to the area in the post-war programme and I am not yet in a position to announce any decision on that point.
§ Mr. GrimstonIs my right hon. Friend aware that I know of the conditions under which the population were there, but in considering this question will he bear in mind that there is an agricultural interest involved, that there is very good housing in the village, and that quite a considerable number of people are anxious to get back to their homes? Whilst I do not want to prejudice any decision he may reach, I hope he will bear those facts in mind and come to a decision as soon as he can conveniently do so.
§ Mr. LawsonIt is for that reason that I have been rather reluctant to arrive at 1858 a decision on this matter before I have looked at the question as a whole.