Mr. CAWLEYasked the Secretary of State for War whether troops on manœuvres are debarred from using private parks except with the consent of the owners; whether considerable areas have in past years been in this way closed to the troops during manœuvres; and whether he contemplates taking any steps to make park-land subjects to the same burdens in this respect as land out of which farmers have to earn a living?
§ Mr. HALDANEParks are not specifically exempted by the Manœuvres Act from use by the troops, but as it was considered that the wording of Proviso 1 of Section 2 of the Act might be held to exempt them it has been the practice to ask for leave of the owners for their use. The refusal of owners in certain cases to grant the use of their parks has seriously interfered with the arrangements for the manœuvres. It is intended to take an early opportunity of introducing legislation to amend the Act to make the application to parks quite clear.