§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an account of public funds expended on Horam Manor Farm, Sussex, since the eviction of Lady Garbett on 16th May, 1956, to the latest convenient date.
Mr. AmoryThe justices' warrant requiring Lady Garbett to give vacant possession of Horeham Manor Farm was60W enforced on 28th May, 1956, and since then £1,080 has been spent on the farm. Of this £518 has been spent on remedying dilapidations and deteriorations for example, cleaning foul land, fencing, and rabbit destruction, and £562 on haymaking, cultivations, seeds and fertilisers, and providing a water supply to a field. In addition, £36 has been paid for wages of a part-time caretaker.
§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the works of cultivation, etc., authorised by his Department at Horam Manor Farm, Sussex, were put to tender.
Mr. AmoryTenders were not obtained for this urgent work, much of which had to be carried out when the weather permitted. The most economical method in the circumstances was to fix a price for the cultivations and find a contractor who would carry them out efficiently for that figure. I am satisfied that the cost of the work was reasonable.