asked the Chief Secretary if he will take steps to fix the rent to be charged for land for food production in Ireland?

I would refer the hon. Member to an answer I gave to a question by the hon. Member for North Kildare on 21st January. In view of the importance of the matter, I would add that the tillage Regulations now in force have rendered very large areas of land subject compulsorily to cultivation, and that in all cases when the full powers of the tillage scheme are put in operation the lands in question are let at prices fixed at auction or decided by the Department of Agriculture.

Is it not the fact that the rent charged by the landowner is largely responsible for the increased food prices?

That is rather a long shot. It is my impression that that is not the fact, but I am aware there is a tendency in some quarters to increase prices, but I do not think that is so general as the hon. Member suggests, and it is corrected, moreover, by the determination of some people in Ireland, who are well aware of the value of land, not to pay more than a proper price.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any instances have been brought to his notice of cases where landlords in county Clare have not compiled with the Tillage Regulations; and, if so, whether any steps have been taken in such cases to secure observance of the law?

I assume the question to refer to landlords who are "occupiers" of their land. On that assumption the answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative. I would further refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his question on Monday last.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can state, even approximately, the number of acres in county Clare now used for cattle ranches and which could be made avail able for tillage if divided between the uneconomic holders?

I am not in a, position to furnish even an approximate estimate of the kind suggested in the question. Perhaps I may say I assume the question to refer to grazing lands. It is a little misleading to describe them as cattle ranches.

Even on that assumption, has it been brought to the notice of my right hon. Friend that there are thousands of acres available which could be made productive for food, and that that is really one cause of the unrest which prevails in county Clare and elsewhere in Ireland?

No, Sir. Every means that can. be legitimately taken by the Executive in Ireland has been taken to bring an unprecedented quantity of arable land into cultivation. My hon. Friend refers to unrest. There has developed in Ireland in the course of the last three or four weeks a criminal conspiracy for interfering with the ownership and occupation of land, and I cannot discuss any question of unrest in face of a combination of this kind.

I will raise that question later.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether cases have been brought to his notice where owners of land are prevented from complying with the Tillage Order owing to their being boycotted and their workmen intimidated from continuing in their employment by men who desire to get possession of the land to cultivate in conacre themselves; that then, owing to their being unable in the specified time to comply with such Tillage Order, inspectors of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) enter on the land, take it from the owner under a Defence of the Realm Regulation, and divide it out for cultivation in conacre, possibly to the parties who themselves imposed the boycott and intimidated the workmen; and, if so, will he take steps to deal drastically with this procedure?

Several cases have occurred in which occupiers of land have claimed that they were prevented from complying with the Tillage Regulations owing to boycotting. If, as a result of inquiry, 'the Department of Agriculture are satisfied that the statements made by the occupiers are well-founded, the lands are not entered upon, and the procedure suggested in the hon. and gallant Member's question is not adopted. It is impracticable to carry out the provisions of the Defence of the Realm Regulations in connection with lands which are definitely boycotted.

Might I send the right hon. Gentleman a case in point?

Certainly.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what increase, if any, has taken place in the daily consumption of bread in the month of February, 1918, as compared with the month of September, 1917; whether the stocks of wheat in this country and anticipated arrivals of wheat are likely to be sufficient to meet this rate of consumption until the new cereal year; if not, whether it is proposed to ration the consumption of breadstuffs; and, if so, at what date?

The returns from bakers and retailers show that the consumption of bread and flour, comparing the four weeks. ending 13th October and the four weeks ending 2nd March, has risen in the ratio of 96 to 100¼ Last year it rose in the ratio of 95½ to 102½. It should be added that the consumption during the most recent period, that is, the period ending 2nd March, is slightly lower than that in the period ending 2nd February. This is substantiated by the figures showing the deliveries of flour from the mills. The stocks, despite the low imports of recent months, compare favourably with those held at this time last year, and, as I said last Tuesday, it is hoped that if great care is exercised and all waste avoided the rationing of bread and flour may be indefinitely postponed.

Arising out of that, can the hon. Gentleman say whether it is proposed to proceed any further with the dilution of the loaf?

Not further than the point which we have reached at present.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that the regulations regarding the sale of pigs will, if enforced, have the effect of closing the two bacon factories in Tralee, which employ over 200 men; whether he is aware that this is practically the only industry in the town; and whether he will take steps to secure that every facility will be given to these factories to remain open?

I am informed that both the bacon factories in Tralee have been allotted supplies of pigs, and that there will be no necessity for either to close down.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has inquired into the conduct of the Northshore Mills, Liverpool, in refusing to sell flour to merchants in the West of Ireland because of the disturbed state of the country; whether it is intended to prosecute them for this refusal; and whether they will be allowed to exercise such prejudice in trade in the future?

I find that the North-shore Mill Company have not refused to sell flour to merchants in the West of Ireland, but owing to the disturbed state of the country and the difficulty of getting their money, the company decided to insist on cash before delivery. In spite of this, their actual deliveries in Ireland for 1917 were considerably greater than in the previous year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller whether Messrs. Spiller and Baker will be prosecuted for the freights they charged on flour brought by their own boats from Cardiff to Cork; and whether they will be compelled to return to traders whom they supplied in Kerry the overcharges which they made?

I am not aware that the firm referred to has been guilty of any breach of regulation. I recently informed my hon. Friend that the matter of freights involved was having the attention of the Shipping Controller. I am now able to tell him that a maximum freight for flour to Irish ports was established on 1st March.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that the prices charged by hotel proprietors to commercial men is often far in excess of the value of the food supplied; and whether he will take steps to prevent this practice?

:Complaints of overcharge in restaurants and hotels have been received from time to time. As I informed the hon. and gallant Member for Enfield last Monday, the Food Survey Board are considering whether any and what action can usefully be taken.

asked the. Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he will see that Irish interests are considered when fixing the price of fish; if he will say whether any Irish representatives of salmon-fishing industries were or will be consulted before the price is fixed; and if he will see that nothing is done that will interfere with production?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; to the second, that the Fishery Department for Ireland was consulted before the prices were fixed; and to the third, that the greatest care has been taken to secure that prices are not fixed so low as to discourage production.

Arising out of that answer, may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether any committee has been set up in Ireland to deal with this question of the price of salmon, and, if so, would he recommend that some Irish representative be placed on such committee?

I am not aware of the establishment of any separate committee, but, as my reply states, the Fisheries Department for Ireland has been consulted. If my hon. Friend has any particular information bearing on the question, I shall be glad to receive it from him.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been called to the report of the Fishmongers' Company that their fish-meters seized and condemned at Billingsgate Market in the month of February 100 tons 15 cwts. of fish as unfit for food; and that this quantity was nearly double what was condemned in February, 1917; and whether he will take all steps possible to prevent this waste of necessary food in the future?

The answer is in the affirmative. Every effort is being made to secure that fish reach the markets in good condition, but I may remind the hon. Member that the difficulty of ensuring rapid transport, both by sea and by rail, is necessarily increasing under war conditions. These difficulties are enhanced during the periods of exceptionally heavy catches of migratory fish.

May I ask if they have not sufficient ice at Billingsgate to keep this fish, or salt?

There are occasions when ice is not available at the particular points where fish may be lying at the time being.

In view of the importance of this matter, would it not be possible to use motor lorries in cases of urgency?

I may say that the quantity of herrings landed on the mainland in this case was believed to have been totally unprecedented, and on that account inevitable congestion was caused, and therefore waste resulted.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his Department has consulted the Board of Agriculture as to the advisability and practicability of making it compulsory for farmers to sell cattle by dead-weight?

Lord Rhondda does not propose to make it compulsory for farmers to sell cattle by dead weight, but he is in consultation with a Committee appointed by the National Farmers' Union, the Central Chamber of Agriculture, and the Royal Agricultural Society as to the purchasing of cattle by dead-weight in districts where this can be satisfactorily arranged. The Board of Agriculture have been and are being consulted on this as on all other matters concerning agricultural produce, but the Food Controller is alone responsible for the decision that may be taken.

Inasmuch as this is essentially a question for farmers and the Board of Agriculture, can the hon. Gentleman assure the House that those views will be duly weighed and advantage taken of them before any final decision is arrived at?

Yes; I will readily give that assurance.

Will the hon. Gentleman ask the Minister of Food to make it a penal offence for any farmer to sell a cow for slaughter which is in calf?