§ Mr. Grocottasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any proposals for legislation to give security of tenure to the near relatives of deceased agricultural tenants in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StrangAs I told my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Roderick) in a written reply on 7th March—[Vol. 887, c.531]—this is under con- 456W sideration at the present time. It was a previous Labour Government who gave security of tenure in 1968 to the immediate relatives of deceased tenant farmers in Scotland. An undertaking to give further attention to the possible extension to England and Wales of rights of family succession of tenant farmers on the Scottish pattern was included in Labour's programme for Britain 1973. We have now started consultations with the representatives of the agricultural industry and the professional bodies concerned.
These are complex matters. For example, the essential issues concern the relationship in law between landlord and tenant and that of securing a balance of adequate safeguards for the interests of each. Again, any changes in this area have implications for the long-term structure of the industry which also have to be considered. I must emphasise that no conclusions have been reached.