§ Mr. E. WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether he can publish a statement showing the financial results of agricultural operations undertaken by county agricultural committees during the period from the passing of The Corn Production Act, 191V, down to 31st March, 1920?
Sir A. BOSCAWENI assume that my hon. Friend refers to the farming operations undertaken by Agricultural Executive Committees on land of which possession was taken under the Defence of the Realm Regulations on the ground that it had not been properly cultivated. An account has been prepared for the period from 1st April, 1917, to 30th September, 1919, which shows that the total payments and liabilities amounted to £653,890 and the total receipts and assets to £552,989, leaving a deficit of £100,901. The total area of which possession was taken amounted to 64,000 acres, but the commitees have withdrawn from possession of a considerable proportion, and the area which is still being farmed by the committees amounts to approximately 20,000 acres. Much of the work of the committees consisted of reclaiming practically derelict land and in such cases a heavy initial outlay had to be incurred which could not be recouped in full in the first two or three years. I am sending to my hon. Friend a copy of a leaflet which describes the work done by the committees in several cases