§ Colonel Carverasked the hon. Member for Central Leeds, as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, the amount of arable land controlled by the Commissioners, the amounts of grass or uncultivated land ploughed up in respect of the seasons 1939–40 and 1940–41, and the amount to be ploughed in 1941–42; and whether any tenant has been either reprimanded or dispossessed for bad farming?
§ Mr. DenmanOwing to the form in which farming statistics are kept by the Commissioners and many orders are made by agricultural committees, it is only possible to give approximate answers without extra work which would hardly seem justified. It will be borne in mind that general conclusions cannot usefully be drawn from aggregate statistics of detail in relation to dispersed properties of different character.
The figures are in round numbers—
- Pre-war arable land owned and controlled by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners—117,000 acres.
- Additional ploughed out 1939–40–12,000 acres.
- Additional ploughed out 1940–41–18,000 acres.
- Proposed to be ploughed out 1941–42–11,000 acres.
About 20 tenants have been dispossessed for bad farming and in addition a few have been reprimanded.
§ Captain Pluggeasked the hon. Member for Central Leeds, as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, whether the recent official memorandum, issued by the activities of the Commissioners by the Commissioners, claiming perfected management of house property in the London area, indicates that there are now no slums or disreputable buildings, especially in London, W.2, under their control?
§ Mr. DenmanWhile the Commissioners make no claim to perfected management, it is their policy not to tolerate either slums or disreputable buildings on property under their control. If the hon. and gallant Member has in mind any specific case in which it is thought this policy is not being carried out, I should be glad if he would let me know of it.