asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that some war agricultural committees have doubled the original acreage to be ploughed in cases where appeals have been made; whether the Board has issued any Regulation sanctioning this course of procedure; and, if not, whether he is prepared to issue fresh instructions to the war agricultural committees in accordance with the views he has expressed in public?

No Regulation has been issued by the Board on the particular point referred to, but there seems no reason why a committee should not increase the acreage to be ploughed if, after hearing the case, they are satisfied that it would be in the national interest to do so.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether dairy farmers and graziers accustomed to produce meat and milk are expected to plough up more than one-ninth of their grass land; and whether the Board of Agriculture have issued any instructions to the war agricultural committees defining clearly the amount of acreage which should be ploughed on farms of this description?

:The programme of the Department contemplated the breaking up of one-ninth of the total area of grass in the country as a whole, but it was never suggested that this proportion should be applied to individual holdings. The committees were urged to select carefully the land best suited to arable cultivation, and to consider each case on its merits. It is impossible to lay down definite rules which can be applied to all the varying conditions of different farms, and the acreage to be ploughed on any particular farm must be left to the discretion of the practical men composing the agricultural executive committees. A letter has, however, recently been issued to agricultural executive committees dealing with the breaking up of grass land in the occupation of dairy farmers, and I am sending a copy to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture how many potato growers in Great Britain have received or are to receive payment under the potato guarantee price for 1917; and what is the total amount paid or to be paid?

I have been asked to reply. The number of potato growers in Great Britain who have received compensation under the Potato Order No. 2, 1917, at the present moment is approximately 800, and the sum of money so distributed is approximately £20,000. The number of potato growers who will receive payment, and the amount that they will receive, cannot at the present time be estimated accurately.

:Does the hon. Gentleman still adhere to the principle of not paying compensation to growers of less than four tons?

There is no alteration in that respect.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether there is in operation in connection with the various military camps throughout the country any scheme for saving scraps, wastage of food, swills, and other material and in using the same in connection with the camps in fattening pigs in order to increase the food necessary for the Army; and, if there is no such scheme in operation, whether he will, in conjunction with the Secretary of State for War, take steps to effect the objects indicated in this question?

:A comprehensive scheme is in operation in all military camps for this purpose. The swill is either sold to pig feeders direct, or treated in mechanical plants which produce pig and poultry food in a concentrated form; the surplus fats are at the same time extracted and sold to soap boilers, from whom the Ministry of Munitions obtain the glycerine required for propellant explosives.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether his scheme might not be made operative in connection with the camp itself?

:I do not think I quite follow my hon. Friend. It is in operation in connection with the camp itself.

If I understand the right hon. Gentleman correctly, the residuals are disposed of, otherwise sold, and my question is whether those materials could not be used in connection with the fattening of pigs in the camp itself?

If I understand the hon. Gentleman correctly, he means that the military authorities should go in for keeping pigs.

Why not?

It is a question of who does it best — whether the pig keeper is a better judge than the military authorities. We are anxious that the swill products should be used in the best way possible, and I think they are by the scheme in operation.

May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will communicate with the Food Controller as to how far the waste which has occurred with regard to this swill from the camps is due to the Food Controller's Regulations as to the feeding of pigs, which has prevented the keeping of pigs?

:I do not think there has been for a long time any waste in the utilisation of these swill products.

Is there co-operation between the right hon. Gentleman's Department and the Admiralty, and, if not, will he kindly communicate with the Admiralty as to the waste which is going on in the Navy?

I do not know that my doing so would be welcomed by the Admiralty, but I have no doubt that the representatives of the Admiralty would pay great attention to my hon. Friend.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution of the Cork Industrial Development Association demanding that immediate steps should be taken to have suitable land contiguous to cities and towns made available on reasonable terms for the provision of allotments for city and town workers ; can he state how much land has been made available for this purpose in the city of Cork and the towns of Cork county; and what assistance has been given by the Department of Agriculture in the matter; what steps are being at present taken to increase the number of town workers' allotments; and what area of land will be brought into cultivation all over Ireland by this method?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Approximately fifty-five statute acres were made available for allotments last year in the city of Cork, and in six of the urban districts in Cork county fifty-four statute acres were provided. The lands were obtained by agreement, and, generally speaking, these agreements hold good for the present year, but in one urban district eight additional acres have been acquired by agreement. The Order under the Local Government (Allotments and Land Cultivation) Act, 1917, enabling urban authorities to provide allotment schemes, was issued to all urban district councils in December last, and the councils are also aware of the provisions under the Defence of the Realm Regulations in regard to allotments. Last year there were, approximately, 1,375 statute acres under allotments in Ireland. It is not possible at present to give any estimate of the area to be cultivated in allotments this year. The Department of Agriculture have provided special instructors for allotment holders in Cork city, and arrangements have been made for similar instruction in other towns in county Cork carrying out allotment schemes.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether owners of land capable of cultivation are, under a recent Tillage Order, compelled to place under cultivation at least 20 per cent. of their holding; whether, as a result, about 1,500,000 extra acres will be under cultivation this year as compared with 1916; and will he say how many inspectors are now in the employment of his Board to see that this Tillage Order is duly complied with?

:Occupiers of holdings of not less than 10 acres of arable land are required by the Tillage (Ireland) General Order, 1918, made under the Corn Production Act, 1917, subject to certain specified exceptions, to cultivate in 1918 15 per cent. of their land in addition to the area cultivated in 1916. In the case of holdings of not less than 200 acres of Arable land, occupiers are required by the Tillage (Ireland) (Larger Holdings) Order, dated the 1st February, 1918, to cultivate an additional 5 per cent., making a total addition of 20 per cent. No occupier, however, is required to cultivate more than 50 per cent. of his arable land. It is hoped that the area under tillage in 1918 in Ireland will exceed that of 1916 by approximately 1,500,000 acres. The number of inspectors employed to see that these Orders are carried out is forty-nine.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he will consider the advisability of taking a census of the live stock in Ireland, with a view to retain a sufficient number for breeding purposes, and also that arrangements shall be made to keep a sufficient supply of meat and milk for the Irish people?

:As the hon. Member was informed on the 22nd January, special returns of live stocks have been obtained from a large number of farmers. These returns indicate that the breeding stock of cattle and pigs is being maintained, and the Department of Agriculture do not think that a special general census of live stock is necessary or advisable. The hon. Member is no doubt aware that Orders have been issued under the Maintenance of Livestock Act, to guard against undue depletion of livestock in Ireland, including milch cows.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the complaints of the Cork Food Control Committee as to the manner in which their representations on the question of the exclusion of the sale of milk in small shops from the Regulations of the Public Meals Order have been treated ; whether resolutions were received by the Minister of Food on the subject and remained unacknowledged; and can he explain why the representations of this committee are treated with such scant consideration?

:I must express my regret that, owing to some unexplained delay, the representations of the Cork Food Control Committee only reached the responsible officer of my Department on the 21st instant. An acknowledgment was sent directly they were received. In the meantime the matter had been considered by the Food Control Committee for Ireland, who intimated that in their opinion it was not desirable to permit the sale of milk as a beverage until supplies became more plentiful.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that the food value of confectionery is not disputed, and that any further curtailment of the raw material must lead to an increased consumption of other foodstuffs which it has now become a matter of urgent need to conserve; whether he is aware of the hardships under which the trade is suffering, and the certainty that a number of workers will be thrown out of employment if he persists in still further reducing sugar supplies; and whether he can state what will be done to provide a remedy?

It is true that most forms of confectionery have some food value, but I cannot admit that they are invariably consumed for that reason. In this trade, as in many others, the restrictions upon the use of raw material rendered necessary by the circumstances of the time have seriously affected all those concerned, and the possibility of affording some relief to those most dependent upon the sale of confectionery is being considered by the Ministry, but I am not yet in a position to make any announcement upon the subject.

Will the hon. Gentleman say whether all these shops will be treated alike, whether the little shop or the big shop; and is he aware that quite a number of the small shops are being put absolutely out of business while the large shops can supply any quantity?

It is because all shops are being treated alike that these claims are now being pressed upon us. Consideration is being given to the question whether, in the case of shops where the people provide only one class of goods and are wholly dependent for their livelihood on that one class of food, some special relief should not be given to those people.

:Will the hon. Gentleman see that persons suffering from tuberculosis and other illnesses requiring special food will be allowed that special food on the recommendation of a medical officer?

Provision is already made for cases of that kind.

Some doctors do not know it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been called to a recent prosecution for food hoarding at Saffron Walden which failed, as the magistrates held that tea is not a food; whether he is aware that other magistrates have convicted for the hoarding of tea; and whether he will issue an Amending Older to make clear the intention of Orders issued, so that the public and justices may know whether tea, coffee, and other beverages come within the Food Orders?

asked whether he has noticed that at Saffron Walden and Finchley the magistrates have refused to convict under summons for hoarding tea on the grounds that it is not an article of food any more than wine or other manufactured drinks; and whether the Ministry intend to appeal against these judgments so as to obtain an authoritative legal decision or to withdraw their scheme for tea control, as the increased quantities which the Government are now bringing into the country appear to make it unnecessary?

My attention has been called to this decision, and I am aware that other magistrates have taken a contrary view. The question of an appeal is under consideration, and it may be desirable to amend the Food Hoarding Order so as to bring tea specifically within its provisions. In any case there is no intention of withdrawing the Government scheme for the control of tea.

Is the hon. Gentle man aware that there are no food queues about this morning?

I have not been round to see.

I have.

Is it the fact that magistrates can decide against the Orders of the Ministry of Food and their Regulations, and is it proposed by the Ministry to insist on its Regulations despite any decision given in any Court?

The magistrates have not decided against the Orders of the Food Ministry. The magistrates have given an interpretation, and, as my reply has indicated, we have now under consideration the question of including tea as one of the articles under the Regulations of the Food Hoarding Order.

asked whether the forms required for claims for drawback on the price of tea under the new scheme cannot be printed and ready before a month; whether the railway certificates under which the tea is to be carried free are also not available; and, in these circumstances, whether the operation of the scheme will be postponed until the necessary preparations for working it are completed?

The forms required for claims for drawback on the price under the new scheme are in the printers' hands and will be ready at a very early date; the railway conveyances notes are available at the offices of the Tea Control Committee; and there is no intention to postpone the operation of the scheme.

asked whether the Food Control Department claims the right of calling upon the police to enter houses on their own responsibility or under instructions to search for and seize, if they exist, any hoards of food; whether any such action on these lines has hitherto been taken; and whether the authorities are unable to carry out these investigations, if necessary, by means of officials of the Food Control Department?

Under Regulation 51 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations, any police constable who has reason to suspect that an offence against those Regulations has been, or is being, committed on any premises, may enter and inspect such premises, and may seize anything found therein which appears to be used or intended to be used in any manner contrary to law. By Clause 3 of the Food Hoarding Order any person specially authorised in writing by the Food Controller may enter upon any premises in which he has reason to believe that any article of food is being kept in contravention thereof, but such official has no right of seizure. I am informed that in a few cases where it was thought that inspection without seizure might result in waste, a police constable was asked to accompany the official inspector, in order to prevent any waste or removal of food for the purpose of avoiding confiscation. The police have not been called upon by the Department to make independent investigations.

asked what amount of imported white flour is allowed to be used by the London master bakers; the amount that is allowed to be used by the London master bakers; and the amount that is allowed to be used by the Scottish master bakers?

The maximum percentage of imported flour that bakers can use at present in the manufacture of bread is 25 per cent. in the case of England, Wales, and Ireland and 50 per cent. in the case of Scotland. The reason for the higher percentage in the latter case is that Scotland is so greatly undermilled that before the War Scottish bakers used a much larger quantity of imported flour than other parts of the United Kingdom, and had, in addition, considerable quantities of home-milled flour sent from England.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that under this differentiation the bread in Scotland is certainly much superior to the bread in England, in consequence of the white flour?

Why not come to Scotland?

I am satisfied with the South.

I am not aware of it, but it may well be so, in view of the facts I have mentioned.

Is it not a fact that the Scottish bread was always superior to the British?