HC Deb 08 July 1946 vol 425 cc28-9
60. Mr. Collins

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will instruct county agricultural committees not to serve ploughing-up orders on smallholders who have no machinery of their own, unless the county committees are able to guarantee that they will provide labour and facilities for ploughing, seeding and harvesting at the appropriate times.

Mr. T. Williams

County war agricultural executive committees are composed largely of practical agriculturalists with a knowledge of local conditions. They are aware that the directions they issue must be reasonable, and have been told that they must give an occupier on whom they serve a direction an opportunity to make any representations he desires. I am satisfied that a committee would not confirm a ploughing-up order on a smallholder lacking the necessary machinery and other facilities unless they were confident that the assistance required would be available either from a contractor or a neighbouring farmer, or from the committee's own resources.

Sir W. Smithers

In the event of a farmer being compelled by the W.A.E.C. to plough up his land against the advice of the farmer, and there is a loss, who pays the loss?

Mr. Speaker

That is another question.