§ 4. Major Guy Lloydasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the average amount per acre offered to assist in the restoration of farm land that has been used for getting opencast coal; and how many complaints of the scale of recompense have been received.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe process of converting restored agricultural land to beneficial use after the replacement of the soil by the opencast coal contractor is undertaken by the local War Agricultural Executive Committee at a cost which normally does not exceed £15 an acre. No complaints have reached me that expenditure of this order, which is met by my Department, is inadequate.
§ Major LloydIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in West Fife, for instance, where £15 an acre is given, the actual cost of replacement of land for anything like decent use is £70, and it was a member of the agricultural committee who actually mentioned this, and said that it could not be done for less than £70? Will the Minister consider a more reasonable figure than £15 an acre if the circumstances can be placed before him?
§ Mr. ShinwellObviously if the member of a war agricultural committee feels aggrieved at anything we have done he should communicate with the Department. So far there has been no such communication.