9. Mr. Vaneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet taken any action to expropriate the larger farms in the British zone of Germany.
§ Mr. BevinOrdinance No. 103, which was promulgated in the British zone last September, dealt with limitation of estates. It laid down that Land Legislatures should enact legislation to carry out its provisions. The Land Legislatures have not yet completed the enactment of such legislation, but we have impressed upon them the urgency of doing so as quickly as possible.
Mr. VaneWould it not be better if the right hon. Gentleman impressed upon them the urgency of ensuring the maximum food production?
§ Mr. PickthornWhat is the urgency in this matter?
§ Mr. BevinIt is very desirable, in order that people may have roots in their own soil that everything should not be monopolised by big landlords.
§ Mr. John HyndCan my right hon. Friend say whether the Land Legislatures will be tied in any way to the area that must be supplied?
13. Mr. Vaneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the uneconomic layout of many of the typical small farms of Western Germany; and what steps have been taken by the Control Commission to encourage the exchange of strips in order to promote more compact holdings.
§ Mr. BevinWhen the Military Government ordinance on agrarian reform was issued last year, the Regional Commissioners were informed that, in our view, the consolidation of uneconomic small holdings is as much a part of agrarian reform as the division of big estates and should be tackled at the same time. Land Governments in the British zone have been encouraged to consider the exchange of strips in order to promote more compact holdings, and a draft law is being considered.