§ Sir K. WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Report of the Agricultural Organisation Society for the year ending 31st March, 1920, contains a statement to the effect that that body was asked to supply the Ministry with a list of names of persons deemed desirable to sit on the County Smallholding and Allotment Sub-committee set up under The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Act, 1919; and why, seeing that the Ministry have stated that it is not intended to treat the National Union of Allotment Holders differently from other bodies, no such request has been made to the Union?
Sir A. BOSCAWENI have seen the statement referred to by my hon. Friend in the draft Report of the Agricultural Organisation Society for the year 1919–20, which Report has not yet been published. The facts are, however, that the Society asked the Ministry whether they might be allowed to submit names for consideration by the Minister in connection with the 1041W appointment by him of members of the County Agricultural Committees. The Society were informed, in reply, that the Minister would carefully consider any names put before him, but that he could give no undertaking that any of them would be appointed. A similar reply has been made to every organised body which has approached the Ministry in this matter, including the National Union of Allotment Holders.