§ Sir G. Owenasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that farmers are not allowed to purchase tyres and tubes for agricultural tractors unless they own a threshing machine or have old tractor tyres and tubes for replacement and that as a result farmers who own tractors fitted with spade lugs suffer considerable loss in time and money, he will arrange for permission to be granted to such farmers to fit rubber tyres and tubes to their tractors, provided that each application is approved by the appropriate county war agricultural executive committe
Mr. HudsonI am well aware of the advantages of rubber tyres for agricultural tractors, but I regret that with the present acute shortage of both rubber and tyres it would not be possible to adopt the suggestion of the hon. and gallant Member.