§ Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Minister of Agriculture (1) the objects of the present farm survey; and whether they include an investigation into the system of land tenure?
(2) whether he is aware that the farm survey form now in use makes no specific reference to the shortage of cottages on farms, and that no questions are being asked in regard to water supply of existing cottages and sanitation arrangements for farm-houses and cottages; and whether he will request war agriculture committees to report on these points;
(3) what progress has been made with the completion and investigation of the present farm survey; and whether farmers on whom these reports are made are at liberty to see the opinions formed of their farms and their capacity as farmers?
Mr. HudsonThe main objects of the farm survey were briefly stated in my speech during the Debate on the Address on 19th November. An investigation into the system of land tenure is not one of the chief objects, although questions bearing on that subject have been included in the survey. In view of the need to keep the work down to reasonable proportions, it was not possible to incorporate specific questions on a number of subjects, including those referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend, some of which have been covered in part by previous inquiries; but provision is made in the survey form for supplementary observations by field investigators on any shortages that may affect the productivity of farms. The survey is making satisfactory progress in most counties and the majority of the field work should be completed by next spring. The individual reports are made in confidence to county war agricultural executive committees, and their contents are not disclosed to the farmers concerned.