§ Mr. Gallacherasked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the cutting up and sale of small pieces of land in Dorset; and if he is satisfied that this is consistent with the Government's long-term policy for agriculture.
§ Mr. Bartlettasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the activities of speculators in buying up agricultural estates and re-selling them in small lots to purchasers without adequate knowledge; and whether lie will arrange that at all such auctions the opinion of the county war agricultural committee on the potentialities of the land to be sold shall be displayed in the auction room at the time of the sale.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsCases have been reported to my right hon. Friend in which poor quality land without buildings and farms of medium size equipped with the necessary buildings have been offered for sale in numerous small lots. If he is satisfied that the production of food from agricultural land so treated is suffering, he will make full use of the powers conferred on him by the Defence Regulations to take possession of the land and ensure its proper cultivation. My right hon. Friend regards the sale and purchase of small plots of land unsuitable for intensive cultivation, especially when unprovided with dwellings and farm buildings, as being against the national interest, but he has no power to prevent the sale and purchase of land in small plots unlikely to form efficient agricultural holdings. Nor has he power to display in auction rooms an official opinion on the potentialities of 2551W land offered for sale, and indeed, it is not thought that such a procedure would be desirable or practicable.