HC Deb 14 November 1966 vol 736 cc15-6
24. Mr. Murton

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources, upon what criteria he decided to introduce the Land Commission Bill before the proposed legislation to set up a Countryside Commission.

Mr. Willey

Because my right hon. Friends and I considered the former more urgent.

Mr. Murton

Will not the Minister agree that he has a very strange sense of priorities in these matters?

Mr. Willey

No, I would not agree, and the country shares my view.

Mr. Graham Page

Is not this another example of where useful and desirable Government services are being cut down to bring in such doctrinaire bodies as the Land Commission, taking up all the available civil servants?

Mr. Willey

No. The electorate showed pretty definitely what the priorities should be.

Mr. Allason

Will the Minister tell us how he arrives at the decision that the country supports him? None of his back-benchers support him, and no professional opinion supports him.

Mr. Willey

Public opinion does support us.