Major Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the owner of a farm which will shortly become vacant may be unable to let it 1218W unless he can recover the farmhouse, and that there is therefore a danger that such a farm will not be cultivated; and can he therefore give an assurance that a county war agricultural executive committee has power to obtain for the owner of a farm possession of a farmhouse which has previously been let apart from the farm?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithMy hon. and gallant Friend has supplied me with certain particulars of the case to which he refers. Under the Cultivation of Lands Order, 1939, a county war agricultural executive committee has power, with my consent, to take possession of any land for the purpose of maintaining supplies, and services essential to the life of the community; the term "land" includes a farmhouse. After possession is taken, no person is entitled to remain on the land without the authority of the committee, who may, if necessary, take steps to remove any unauthorised person. The foregoing is a statement of the general position, but the question whether the powers referred to should properly be exercised in such a case as the one described could only be decided after a careful examination of all the relevant circumstances, in the first instance by the executive committee and subsequently by me if an application for my consent were made by the committee.