§ Captain R. TERRELLasked the Prime Minister whether the vacancies on the Royal Commission on Agriculture have now been filled, and, if so, by whom; what representation there is on this body of the landowning interest; what is the total acreage owned by all the members of the Commission; how many members representing the farming interest belong to the National Farmers' Union and how many represent farmers not belonging to that body; and on what date the Commission is expected to begin its labours?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe three additional members appointed to complete the Royal Commission are—Mr. Alexander Batchelor and Mr. William Edwards, agriculturists, and Mr. Thomas Henderson, the editor of "The Scottish Farm Servant." The landowning interest as such is not represented on the Commission, whose terms of reference direct inquiry only into costs of production, prices, and the remuneration of labour. These problems do not, in the opinion of the Government, affect the landowner so immediately as to 619W demand his special representation on the Commission. I am unable to say how many of the agriculturists on the Commission are members of the National Farmers' Union, inasmuch as they were not selected as representatives of particular organisations. I am informed that the preliminary meeting of the Commission will take place on the 23rd inst.