§ 24. Mr. Gowerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the hardship being experienced, he will reconsider his proposals to vary the rents of forestry houses, taking full account of the average earnings of forestry workers.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. J. B. Godber)The Forestry Commission is reviewing the rents of 617 houses occupied by its workers. This is part of a general review of rents of quarters occupied by Government employees. New rents have not yet been determined. My right hon. Friend cannot, however, accept the implication that the present rents cause hardship.
§ Mr. GowerBut is it not a fact that most forestry workers are earning wages which are comparable with those paid to workers in agriculture, and is there any conceivable reason why the Forestry Commission should seek to recover economic rents while farmers and others who employ people in agriculture in most cases have service tenancies not based on some economic rent? Could not this matter be reconsidered?
§ Mr. GodberRents must be related in some way to standards of accommodation provided——
§ Mr. Godber—but I would assure my hon. Friend that it is unlikely that any of these workers will have to bear any excessive increase.
§ Mr. F. M. BennettIn fairness to the agricultural workers, would it not be fair for the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to add that agricultural workers do get several shillings less per week than the forestry workers, whose rate is usually fixed a little above the agricultural workers' rate?
§ Mr. GodberYes.