HC Deb 24 March 1948 vol 448 cc2990-1
16. Mr. Odey

asked the Secretary of State for Air why, when it was decided to restore Holme Moor R.A.F. Station to agricultural purposes, cultivation of this land has been undertaken by the War Agricultural Committee without any opportunity being given to Mr. Loftus, the existing tenant of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who farmed this land before it was requisitioned, to resume cultivation.

Mr. A. Henderson

The airfield at Holme is being kept for flying by the R.A.F. Flying will not, however, begin for some time and meanwhile, as is the usual practice, all the land which can be used for farming has been made available to the Ministry of Agriculture. The responsibility for seeing that the best arrangements are made for its use rests, under that Department, with the County Agricultural Executive Committee.

Mr. Odey

Does not the right hon. and learned Gentleman feel that it is very shabby treatment of a competent farmer to requisition his land for war purposes and not to return that land to him when it is restored for agricultural purposes?

Mr. Henderson

The practice which has been followed by all Service Departments has been that when the land is not immediately required for Service purposes it is handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture, who are thought to be the best judges of who should be used to farm the land.

Mr. Odey

Does not the right hon. Gentleman feel that it is time that that policy was revised?

Lieut.-Commander Gurney Braithwaite

Is the Ministry of Agriculture given full particulars of the circumstances of the original requisition by the right hon. and learned Gentleman's Department?

Mr. Henderson

Yes, Sir.