asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware that the latest calls from labour on the land to the Army may result in jeopardising the harvest of the largely-increased cereal acreage this year; and will he say how he proposes to meet the deficiency of labour occasioned in time for the 1918 harvest?

I fully realise the importance of providing additional labour for the coming harvest, and arrangements with that object are now being completed in consultation with the War Office and the Ministry of National Service, and if my right hon. Friend will put down a question to-day week I hope then to be able to announce them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman preparing a considerable quantity of harvesting machinery in readiness for the harvest in August?

Yes, we are making preparations for that.