§ Mr. Henderson Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that there is a considerable body of agricultural opinion in Scotland opposed in 747W principle to the stand-still order for farm workers, on the grounds that it may do injustice to both workers and farmers, interfere with the traditional good relations existing between masters and men, and injuriously affect production; whether he has consulted such opinion; and if he will consider postponing application of the order until he is satisfied, after full consideration, that it will, in practice, prove helpful to the national effort?
Mr. JohnstonThe terms of the proposed order to which my hon. Friend refers were drawn up in agreement with the representative organisations of fanners and farm workers in Scotland. All standstill orders naturally have elements of irritation in them. But I am satisfied that the adoption of this one for farm workers is vitally necessary to the national effort.