HC Deb 25 November 1946 vol 430 cc1255-6
52. Mr. Driberg

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that, on account of present and impending repatriation of German prisoners of war, farmers are unable to foresee what labour force will be available to them for the harvest of 1947 and are therefore finding it difficult to compile returns of intended cropping; and what steps he is taking to replace prisoner labour and to indicate definitely to farmers to what extent they can expect deficiencies to be made good.

Mr. T. Williams

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. J. Morrison) on 14th October. The number of prisoners of war available to agriculture will necessarily decline, but the number of regular male workers in the industry has increased still further since the last June Returns, and I have hopes that arrangements will shortly be made for the employment of a number of Poles in agriculture. While it is not possible to give precise figures of the labour of these and other categories which will be available next autumn, the Government will continue to do everything within its power to ensure that the total supply is adequate to deal with the crops required, and does not feel that the prospects are such as should deter farmers from growing these crops.

Mr. Turton

Is the Minister satisfied that there are houses there for the agricultural workers who need them?

Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

rose

Mr. Turton

May I have a reply?

Mr. Williams

If I answer the hon. Member, I can give him no more guarantee that the houses will be ready by next April than he, in his turn, could have given me from 1924 to 1945.

Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

Will the Minister consider the promulgation of a scheme calling for volunteers from the British zone of Germany, for it is pretty certain that a fair number of the prisoners who have gone back to Germany would be quite willing to return here if given the chance?

Mr. Williams

That is a question which should be put to my hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Mr. Snadden

Would not the Minister agree that it is unfair to serve directions on farmers to increase production more intensively when they know with absolute certainty that the labour will not be there to gather the crops next year?

Mr. Williams

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will not make statements of that nature either here or in the country. In all the war years the Government were never absolutely satisfied that adequate labour would be available, but on each occasion, year after year, the Government promised to do all in their power to make labour available. This Government will do exactly the same in 1947. I hope that no hon. Member will suggest that labour will not be available at the right time.