HC Deb 16 November 1916 vol 87 c1014W
Colonel WEIGALL

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in-order to meet the difficulties of the agricultural community owing to the shortage of labour and the lateness of the season, the Government will consider raising agricultural works companies on similar lines, as to military administration and discipline, to existing works companies and composed of competent Home-service agricultural workers, each company to be fully equipped with a complete set of steam tackle for ploughing, cultivating, and threshing, detailed administration of terms and conditions of labour to be under the control of existing county agricultural war committees, and the whole scheme to be coordinated by the War Office and the Board of Agriculture?

Mr. FORSTER

I am not aware that any suggestion of the kind outlined has been put forward by those responsible for safeguarding the interests of agriculture.