§ Sir H. NIELDasked the President of the Board of Agriculture what is the precise nature of the official appointment, if any, which the Agricultural Organisation Society holds, either from the Board of Agriculture or indirectly from the Board of Agriculture through the Food Production Department?
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§ Mr. PROTHEROThe society holds no official position under the Board of Agriculture or the Food Production Department. It receives Grants in aid of its works through both the Board and its Sub-Department, as explained in the previous question
§ Sir H. NIELDasked the President of the Board of Agriculture what is the total amount of the Grants made during the War to the Agricultural Organisation Society for the purpose of promoting allotments; and what proportion, if any, are they permitted to use for the specific purpose of stimulating co-operative trading?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThe amount of the Grant to the Agricultural Organisation Society made this year specifically for the purpose of promoting allotments is £10,000. That Grant is administered through the Food Production Department, and the whole of it may be said to be available by the society for stimulating co-operative trading so far as that can be done by (1) supplying organisers to address meetings of allotment-holders on the advantage to themselves and to the State derived from organisation on co-operative lines; (2) assisting in the formation of societies among allotment-holders; (3) advising societies in their trading and other operations. The Grants to the society in the earlier years of the War were applicable both to the promotion of agricultural co-operation generally and to co-operation among allotment-holders. These Grants were as follows:
— 1915–16. 1916–17. 1917–18. Totals. £ £ £ £ Payments by Treasury from Development Fund 9,290 6,925 13,240 29,455 Payments by Board from Small Holdings Account 2,000 1,988 2,000 5,988 Totals 11,290 8,913 15,240 35,443 It should be mentioned also that the Grant to the society from the Small Holdings Account for the current year is £4,000, of which £1,000 is applicable to the society's allotment work.
§ Sir H. NIELDasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, having regard to the fact that Grants of 469W public money are made to the Agricultural Organisation Society, what is the nature of the control, if any, exercised by the Board of Agriculture or the Food Production Department over the operations of the Agricultural Organisation Society; and what conditions, if any, are attached to the payment of the subsidy or Grant?
§ Mr. PROTHEROThe control exercised by the Board over the operations of the Agricultural Organisation Society is partly by means of definite conditions attached to the Grants of Government money, and partly through the constant touch which is maintained between the Department and the officers of the Society, and through the work of the two nominees of the Board who sit on the Executive Committee of the society. The Grants to the society are, moreover, annual, and the work of the society comes up automatically for review every year. I will send my hon. and learned Friend a copy of the conditions attached to the most recent Grant of money to the society.