§ Captain D. HALLasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware that Isle of Wight men released from the Colours for agricultural work are distributed over nearly every other county in England; if anything can be done to transfer these men to their own county for the same work; and if, in future, efforts will be made, where possible, to employ soldiers released for agricultural work as near their own homes as conveniently can be arranged?
§ Sir R. WINFREYThe posting of men to agricultural companies is carried out by the military authorities, and Army Council Instruction 1390, of 10th September, 1917, provided that soldiers should, as far as possible be posted to that part of the country where they worked in civil life. Many men had, however, been sent out for agricultural work before the issue of this Instruction. The Department are not aware that Isle of Wight men are working in nearly every other county in England, but it is open to they County Agricultural Executive Committees to arrange mutually the transfer or exchange of soldiers in order that they maybe returned to their own county.