Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, as distinct from the Women's Land Army, he will give encouragement to and evolve some scheme, whereby further utilisation could be made of women for land and farm work drawn locally from the villages, since many of these people are experienced land workers but are prevented from joining the Women's Land Army owing to family ties?
Mr. HudsonI have urged county war agricultural executive committees to undertake on a large scale this year the organisation of part-time local volunteers as one valuable means of meeting the demand for supplementary labour, and schemes are in operation in a great number of counties where there is a demand for this kind of labour. I hope that all local women with agricultural experience who are not already assisting farmers will enrol themselves under these schemes.