§ 7. Mr. Monroasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many agricultural holdings administered by his Ministry are subject to agricultural tenancy.
§ Mr. MonroWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether future policy will mean one law for Government tenancies and another for private sector tenancies and, if so, why?
§ Mr. PeartThe hon. Gentleman was a member of an Administration which favoured the exclusion of statutory smallholdings provided by local authorities and the Ministry. That is something which the hon. Gentleman pursued in Government with his colleagues. I wish to do something about the matter, and yesterday I tabled clauses which I hope the hon. Gentleman will read.
§ Mr. JoplingIn view of the right hon. Gentleman's Press statement about these matters, will he tell us how he justifies putting himself in a better position as a landlord than other landlords?
§ Mr. CryerWill my right hon. Friend confirm that the legislation which the Opposition have in mind is designed to protect tenants against unscrupulous landowners, who often put out tenancies to auction or to tender so as to extract the maximum possible revenue from their land, landowners who often could not give a hoot about agricultural production?
§ Mr. PeartI hope that my hon. Friend will have an opportunity to discuss these matters when the clauses are discussed in the House. I am rather surprised that people should condemn local authorities, which are statutorily responsible for smallholdings. When I say that there is democratic control, I mean that every councillor must face election.