§ Mrs. Tateasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will secure the amendment of the Defence Regulations relating to the requisitioning of agricultural land in order to ensure that contractors shall not enter upon land, possibly damaging the same, before requisitioning notices are served, and that contractors shall not damage land and crops adjacent to the requisitioned land?
Mr. HudsonIt is understood that any action of the kind referred to in my hon. Friend's Question would be contrary to instructions laid down by the Services and other Departments, and the enactment of a further Defence Regulation would not seem to be necessary and would not effectively prevent the possibilty of damage to crops from the causes mentioned. If my hon. Friend will let me have particulars of any cases known to her where such damage has occurred, I will take the matter up with the Department concerned in order that steps may be taken to deal with the offenders and to prevent any repetition.