Mr. GwynforEvans asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that land agents are not appointed as adjudicators to agricultural land tribunals.
§ Mr. StrangNo.
§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that liability to take the oath when appearing before an agricultural land tribunal is placed equally upon both tenants and landlord.
The Solicitor-GeneralI have been asked to reply.
The rules of procedure for agricultural land tribunals enable the tribunal to require any witness to give evidence on oath or affirmation. Any party may call witnesses and give evidence himself, and the tribunal may call a witness, but my noble Friend does not consider that parties who do not give evidence should be required to take the oath or to affirm.
§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that the pro ceedings of all agricultural land tribunals are conducted in public.
The Solicitor-GeneralI have been asked to reply.
My noble Friend has no proposals for amendment of the rule whereby agricul- tural land tribunals sit in public unless it appears to them that there are exceptional reasons which make it desirable that the hearing or some part of it should take place in private.