§ Mr. P. WHITEasked the Vice-President, of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether his attention has been drawn to a statement made by Sir Nugent Everard, Bart., a member of the Advisory Committee on Food Production in Navan, on the 29th ultimo, that in respect of prime finishing land it had been suggested that the best criterion would be the price at which it was let in pre-war times, and that land let on the eleven months' system at £4 per acre and upwards should be considered as finishing land and that class of land would be exempted, and again he 639W said the question was not whether or not the land was arable, it was arable, but would it be advisable to break it up because probably it produced more food as it was now than it would be if it were tilled; and whether the words uttered by the honourable baronet represent the opinion of the Department and its advisory committee?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe Department of Agriculture have no official knowledge of the suggestions referred to in the hon. Member's question. They do not represent the view of the Department or of the Advisory Committee on Food Production.