§ 60. Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Agriculture how many rat administrators there are for agricultural land in Britain; what are their salaries; how many are male and how many female; what steps are taken to ascertain their qualifications for these posts; what is the total cost of salaries and expenses; and what is the cost for each rat killed.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsThere are 251 men and five women on the staff of my Department and county war agricultural executive committees in England and Wales engaged on administrative work in connection with pest control. The total cost of their salaries and expenses is about £100,000 a year. Their qualifications are ascertained by interview before appointment. This staff are concerned with rabbits, moles, foxes, grey squirrels and other pests as well as rats, and I regret that I cannot give the cost for each rat killed
§ Sir W. SmithersDoes not the Minister think that if this department were closed down and 3d. per tail were paid, he would save a lot of public money and get a lot more rats killed?