HC Deb 18 June 1956 vol 554 cc1029-31
16. Mr. Benn

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the dates on which the county agricultural committee has visited Stockwood Farm, Keynsham, since the dispossession of the owner in December, 1952.

Mr. Amory

Members of the Committee visited the farm on 13th August, 1954, and on 11th July, 1955.

Mr. Benn

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that this farm has been properly watched since it was taken over and the previous owner evicted, as he was evicted only two and a half years after he took possession of the farm and it appears that it was two and a half years from his eviction before the agricultural committee even looked at the farm under its present tenant?

Mr. Amory

No, in addition to the two visits of the committee to which I have referred, the farm has been visited by the committee's land agent on 32 occasions during that period, and I am informed by the committee that it is very well satisfied with the standard of farming of the present tenant.

17. Mr. Benn

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why no landlord repairs have been carried out on Stockwood Farm, Keynsham, which has been in his possession since December, 1952.

Mr. Amory

I am advised that these repairs are the responsibility of the owner. The county committee has sent his agents a schedule of the work required and is awaiting a reply.

Mr. Benn

Is it not a fact that a court ruling was obtained giving the present tenant a right to claim dilapidations and, in fact, he made no use of that and the farm is steadily dilapidating in its present condition?

Mr. Amory

I am advised that the decision of the county court does not refer to repairs which have accrued since the committee has taken possession of this farm but only to repairs which accrued prior to that date. As to the lack of current repairs, I am told that, although it is unfortunate for the tenant, it cannot be said that they are seriously interfering with production at present.

18. Mr. Benn

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give instructions that the production figures for Stockwood Farm, Keynsham, be made available to the owner who was dispossessed for bad husbandry three and a half years ago.

Mr. Amory

This farm is let to a tenant, and I have no power to instruct him to disclose his production figures.

Mr. Benn

Is it not very difficult for the general public to know whether or not this eviction was justified if no comparable production figures are released in respect of the previous owner, who was evicted, compared with those of the present tenant who was put in by the committee, and if, as the right hon. Gentleman says, there is a deterioration in the buildings? How can he be satisfied that the farming is going well when dilapidations are occurring and no husbandry figures are made available?

Mr. Amory

I did not want to give the impression that I was complacent about the fact that dilapidations were not being made good. I should like to see the landlord make them good at the earliest possible moment. As to the general public being satisfied about the justice of the eviction, I think the greatest safeguard there is the appeal to the Agricultural Land Tribunal. I repeat that the committee, which has regular reports on this farm from its land agent, is satisfied that the present tenant is getting reasonably satisfactory production.

Mr. Benn

The previous owner was there for two and a half years only before he was turned out, and the present tenant has been there for three and a half years. Unless some figures are made available, it is impossible—as I hope the right hon. Gentleman agrees—to determine whether or not the original eviction was justified.

Mr. Amory

I am afraid I could not ask a tenant to enable me to make public his production figures because, under the existing law, the agricultural return figures are made in confidence to the Minister.