§ 20. Mr. Thornton-Kemsleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the estimated labour requirement for gathering the 1949 potato harvest in each of the counties of Aberdeen, Kincardine and Angus; and the sources, in detail, from which he proposes to meet this requirement.
§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Woodburn)The estimated labour requirements, additional to the regular farm staffs, for the 1949 potato harvest in the Counties of Aberdeen, Kincardine and Angus are 8,300, 4,000 and 11,600 respectively. It is proposed to meet this requirement from adult workers recruited by farmers; labour in the employment of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland, including unemployed workers specially recruited; local children; Aberdeen and Dundee children transported daily and billeted children from Glasgow.
§ Mr. Thornton-KemsleyCan the Secretary of State say what proportion of the school labour can be found by the normal exemption procedure and what proportion has to be found by the closing of schools?
§ Mr. WoodburnWhere schools are required for billeting children who come from elsewhere such schools, naturally, 1947 must be closed for educational purposes during that period. It is difficult at present to say what are the proportions.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartCan the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that the drawing upon Dundee and Glasgow for children for these three counties will not prejudice the needs of Fife when its turn comes to have them?
§ Mr. WoodburnFife can usually be depended upon to look after itself.
§ Mr. GallacherWill the Minister very carefully scrutinise these children to ensure that no incipient Communist encourages Kerr's Pink to go red?
§ 21. Mr. Thornton-Kemsleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the acreage under potatoes in each of the counties of Aberdeen, Kincardine and Angus in the years 1939, 1948 and 1949.
§ Mr. WoodburnAs the reply contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the information:
| — | 1939 Acres | 1948 Acres | 1949 Estimated Acres | |
| Aberdeen | … | 7,364 | 21,298 | 18,600 |
| Angus | … | 20,625 | 28,453 | 26,300 |
| Kincardine | … | 4,608 | 9,718 | 8,300 |
§ 22. Mr. Thornton-Kemsleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has given to county education authorities in each of the counties of Aberdeen, Kincardine and Angus regarding the desirability of again splitting the holidays in schools under their management to provide for autumn closing during the period of the potato harvest.
§ Mr. WoodburnI have no power to require local authorities to grant split holidays, but in May I expressed to all education authorities the hope that split holidays would again be given in those areas where it is necessary to use schools for billeting. In addition, a specific request has been made to Kincardine County Council to consider the use of six 1948 schools as billets for Glasgow school-children.
§ Mr. Thornton-KemsleyWas not that specific request made on 14th June, and does that not contradict the earlier answer given to me by the Secretary of State when he said that in certain areas schools must be closed?
§ Mr. WoodburnI see no contradiction between the two answers.