§ Mr. D. Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much agricultural land has been bought by the bauxite companies in Jamaica; what controls are imposed by the authorities to prevent exploitation of the farmers by middlemen; and to what use the land is put which is alienated from farming.
§ Mr. ProfumoThe companies own or have an option to purchase about 135,000 acres of land in Jamaica, much of which is not suitable for cultivation. They have themselves taken steps to check the activities of middlemen, some of whom have bought from small cultivators for resale to the companies, and no Government action in this respect is contemplated. Land not used for mining or related activities is either used for farming or forestry by the companies themselves or rented out to tenants to farm.