§ Mr. Bodyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that agricultural contractors in Essex have had to dispose of some of their drainage equipment because of the unfair competition of the Essex Agricultural Executive Committee, and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
Mr. AmoryI am not aware that private contractors in Essex have been disposing of their drainage equipment and I cannot agree that there is unfair competition by the Essex Agricultural Executive Committee, whose drainage contract service does not operate at a loss. On the contrary, the Committee give every encouragement to the employment of private drainage contractors. The proportion of grant aided work undertaken by the Committee has fallen from 88 per cent. in 1952 to 51 per cent. in 1955.