§ Mr. R. EVANSasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the extent to which, owing to depressed conditions, farmers in Carmarthenshire are dismissing their labourers; and whether he will consider the feasibility of making to agricultural employers such grants as will enable them to retain on the land workers who otherwise will become unemployed and chargeable to public assistance?
§ Major ELLIOTI have no precise information as to the extent to which agricultural workers are being dismissed in Carmarthenshire, but I am aware that there is a prospect of increased unemployment amongst agricultural workers during the next few months. As my hon. Friend is aware, the Government are making every effort to bring about an improvement in the conditions of the agricultural industry, which, I think, is the only really effective means of giving the agricultural worker greater security against unemployment. In reply to the last part of the question, I am willing to examine any practical proposals which may be brought forward by my hon. Friend or by others, but I cannot hold out any hopes that a proposal to subsidise wages out of Government funds such as my hon. Friend appears to suggest would be found to be practicable.