§ Mr. Thornton-Kemsleyasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the occupier of every farm that is separately assessed for rating purposes is entitled, under an Order made in 1940, to £5 worth of timber per month for general repairs and maintenance but that, in order to obtain the necessary licence, the farmer has to make annual application in triplicate; and whether, having regard to the waste of time and paper involved, he will amend the regulations so that these licences may be valid until the control of timber is abolished, instead of having to be renewed each year.
§ Mr. BelcherFarmers, like other consumers, are subject to the provisions of the Timber Control Orders, but, to reduce the number of applications which farmers would otherwise have to make, licences may be issued to them, valid for six months, to acquire up to £5 worth of timber per month, although other consumers are not granted licences valid for more than three months. The issue of new licences at six-monthly intervals is 261W necessary in order to check the quantities actually acquired, and in the present shortage of timber I am not prepared to extend this concession in the manner suggested.