HC Deb 29 June 1950 vol 476 cc2448-9
54. Mr. Peter Smithers

asked the Minister of Agriculture what are his reasons for refusing to publish detailed accounts of the expenditure incurred by his Department in connection with its experimental farms, such as that at Martyr Worthy.

Mr. G. Brown

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to him on 22nd June.

Mr. Smithers

Does not the Minister think that the usefulness of the experiments would be increased if we knew how much they cost? Does he not think that the public have a right to know how much of their money is being spent? Is he afraid to publish these accounts?

Mr. Brown

It is rather foolish to talk like that. The cost of acquisition, tenant right valuation, and capital expenditure upon buildings, equipment and stock has already been given to the hon. Gentleman. The cost of experimental work is not useful for the purpose of comparisons with commercial enterprises. If the hon. Member cares to look at the Minister's Estimates, he will find set out in Class VI, Vote 8, the estimated expenditure on our experimental farms.

Mr. Smithers

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that what people in my neighbourhood would like to know is how much is spent on running this farm? There is great dissatisfaction locally.

Mr. Brown

I suspect that quite a number of people are forgetting that this is a farm which carries out experimental work, and that it is not the sort of thing to be compared with adjacent commercial holdings.

64. Mr. Peter Smithers

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will exercise his powers under Section 90, subsection (1) of the Agriculture Act, 1947, in such a manner as to ensure that weedkiller sprayed from aircraft upon the Ministry of Agriculture's experimental farm at Martyr Worthy is not in future also sprayed upon private gardens in the vicinity of the farm.

Mr. G. Brown

The spraying referred to was not part of the experimental work but of the ordinary farm work and was carried out by contractors in accordance with common practice in the country. My right hon. Friend's powers under the Section quoted do not enable him to control the methods employed in such work. Owners and occupiers who are affected have such remedies as are provided under the general law.

Mr. Smithers

Is the hon. Gentleman saying that the Minister of Agriculture has no right to give instructions as to what shall be done on his Ministry's own farm? Surely that cannot be correct.

Mr. Brown

The work was carried out by contractors who habitually carry out this work in other parts of the country in the same way as they carry it out on any other farm. I think the hon. Gentleman will find that everything is being done in the ordinary way to secure a satisfactory outcome between them and the people affected.