§ Mr. W. SMITHasked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the speeches of prominent members of the Farmers' Union in the county of Bedford for the reduction of labour; whether he is aware that in a report of the proceedings of the Executive Committee of the Bedfordshire Farmers' Union, held on Monday, 7th March, and published in the local Press on the 11th March, it is reported that the secretary stated that the number of men discharged ran into three figures; and if any action has been taken to speed up the acquisition of land for allotment cultivation in the rural areas of Bedfordshire?
Mr. T. JONESThe Ministry of Agriculture's attention has been drawn to the Report, as published in the Press, of the proceedings of the Executive Committee of the Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire Farmers' Union, and to the statement made by their General Secretary. So far as the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Wages Board can ascertain, it does not appear that agricultural unemployment in Bedfordshire is exceptionally high at the present 473W time. So far as the last part of the question is concerned, I am informed that the Ministry of Agriculture's District Commissioner has been in constant touch with the county council and the allotment authorities with regard to the provision of land for allotments in the areas referred to.