§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether, with a view of founding and working peat industries in Ireland after the War, he has availed himself of the facilities of the Foreign Office for obtaining from Russia, Sweden, Denmark, and Holland information relating to processes, machinery, methods, and results of such industries in those countries; whether he will state briefly the scope of his inquiry; when he expects the Return may be available; and, having regard to the possibilities of bog development in Ireland, whether he proposes to form a National Peat Committee to receive and deal with all relevant information and have it ready for practical application on a business footing on the restoration of peace?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLIn regard to the first and second portions of the question, the Foreign Office have been in communication with the Department on the subject of obtaining the proposed information from certain Continental countries. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on 23rd March. As regards the last portion of the question, it is not the intention of the Department to form a committee of the nature referred to.