§ Mr. ROYCEasked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to certain awards for allotment land given by the Official Arbitrator at Boston; whether Mrs. Hartley, the owner of 5,459 acres of land on the Tattershall Road, previously let to a tenant for £35 per year, has been awarded £70 per year for a lease of 14 years, and that a further sum of £100 has been awarded to the late tenant as compensation for disturbance; whether Mrs. H. E. Barlow, owner of 7,583 acres of land on Fen Side Road, previously let at £32 per year, has been awarded £90 per year for a lease of 14 years, and that a further sum of £60 has 2027W been awarded to the late tenant as compensation for disturbance; and, with regard to the impossible rents that these awards will impose on allotment holders, will he institute an inquiry with a view to obtaining a reduction of these amounts?
§ Sir J. GILMOURYes, Sir, the Ministry's attention has been drawn to the awards in question, but, as was stated in the reply given to the Hon. Member on the 28th ult., the decision of an official arbitrator on any question of fact is final and binding on the parties, and the Ministry has no jurisdiction in the matter.