asked the Minister of Agriculture how many committees have been set up by his Ministry since the present Government came into office; what was the cost to the Exchequer; how many statutory committees have been sitting; and the total cost to the Exchequer?
The number of statutory committees which have been sitting in connection with the work of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries during the period referred to is 49, of which 47 are established under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act, 1924. These numbers do not include statutory committees appointed by local authorities, as to which I have no definite information. The total cost to the Exchequer of the 49 statutory committees for the period referred to is approximately £15,250, of which amount approximately
| County Educational Farms in England and Wales. | ||||||
| County. | Farm. | Deficit (unless otherwise stated). | ||||
| 1924–25. | 1925–26. | 1926–27. | 1927–28. | 1928–29. | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Cheshire | Reaseheath | 2,694 | 4,024 | 4,878 | 2,948 | 1,370 |
| Cumberland | Newton Rigg | 713 | 678 | 681 | 563 | 348 |
| Durham | Houghall | 3,138 | 3,019 | 5,692 | 1,926 | 1,083 |
| Hampshire | Sparsholt | 1,075 | 627 | 1,5118 | 1,712 | 785 |
| Hertfordshire | Oaklands | 2,991 | 3,221 | 2,056 | 1,848 | 2,165 |
| Kent | Grove End | (profit) 194 | 1,634 | 1,348 | 1,280 | 988 |
| Lincs (Holland) | Kirton | 895 | 1,852 | 2,204 | 2,114 | 977 |
| Northamptonshire | Moulton | 1,409 | 1,194 | 1,282 | 1,290 | 1,024 |
| Northumberland | Cockle Park | 1,144 | 1,019 | 944 | 673 | 691 |
| Somerset | Cannington Court | 2,591 | 2,094 | 2,421 | 2,962 | 437 |
| Staffordshire | Rodbaston | 1,470 | 2,035 | 1,457 | 3,173 | 1,918 |
| Sussex East | Wales | 4,708 | 1,718 | 1,236 | 1,560 | 1,607 |
| Sussex West | Kingsham | 330 | (profit) 1,788 | 898 | 551 | 1,891 |
| Yorkshire | Garforth | 1,679 | 1,765 | 1,146 | — | — |
| Yorkshire | Askham Bryan | — | — | — | 2,833 | 2,848 |
| Caernarvonshire | Madryn | 231 | 693 | 411 | 611 | 244 |
| Carmarthenshire | Pibwrlwyd | 2,645 | 1,494 | 1,693 | 1,763 | 1,590 |
| Denbighshire | Llysfasi | 1,119 | 2,161 | 2,780 | 2,458 | 2,301 |
| Flintsbire | Padeswood | — | — | 201 | 360 | 394 |
| Glamorganshire | Tregroes | — | 150 | 573 | 553 | 91 |
| Monmouthshire | Usk | 580 | 254 | 385 | 1,112 | (profit) 97 |
£15,000 is in respect of the 47 committees under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act. As regards other committees, the number appointed by the Minister of Agriculture since the present Government came into office has been nine, of which three were set up jointly with other Departments.