§ Lord Apsleyasked the Minister of Agriculture how many chairmen of county agricultural committees have practical farming experience as either landowning or tenant farmers?
§ Mr. T. WilliamsThe qualifications required in a chairman of a county war agri-66W cultural executive committee are a knowledge of the agricultural conditions in the county, the possession of the confidence of the local agricultural community, administrative ability and a strong sense of public duty. These qualifications are not necessarily the monoply of owner-occupiers and tenants of agricultural land. In any case, executive powers are vested in the committes, and not in the chairmen, and my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the committees possess the necessary practical farming experience to carry out their duties efficiently and satisfactorily.