LAND AND WATER RESOURCES (Hansard, 31 March 1949)

§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (THE EARL OF HUNTINGDON)
My Lords, with the permission of the House, I should like to make a statement arising out of a point made in yesterday's debate on land and water resources initiated by the noble Earl, Lord Radnor. It will be within the recollection of the House that the noble Earl referred to the loss of land during the nine years 1939 to 1947, and quoted the average figure of 50,000 acres per annum. In my reply, I said that a more appropriate figure, and one which would afford a fairer comparison with the prewar position, would be the average loss for the years 1946 to 1948; and I quoted the figure of 30,000 acres. I have since looked into this more carefully, and I am sorry to say that I used this figure inadvertently. The figure should have been, not 30,000 acres but 38,000 acres. I should also have explained that this applies to the amount which was used for building and general constructional development. It does, however, afford a more useful comparison with the average for the twelve years preceding the war, in which the same type of development showed a loss to agriculture of 47,650 acres per annum. I regret that quite unintentionally I misled the House on this matter.

THE EARL OF RADNOR
My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Earl for his correction, but I must make the point that these little slips would not occur if we had a regular annual return of the land taken.

§ VISCOUNT ADDISON
My Lords, for the previous years to which the noble Earl referred the annual return for which the noble Earl is now longing was made.

§ VISCOUNT SWINTON
My Lords, may I ask the Leader of the House whether 902 the excellent precedent which appears to have been created by the National Government will be followed by the Labour Government?

§ LORD HARLECH
My Lords, may I ask if that return did include and, if it is repeated, will include the land taken by the War Office?

§ THE EARL OF HUNTINGDON
My Lords, the figure referred only to land used for constructional and building purposes.