asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the development of the Government's grassland improvement policy is being seriously impeded by the damage done by rabbits, and that the neglect of his Department to deal with the rabbit menace is leading to extensions of the rabbit industry which will make its control more difficult in the future; and can he say when he will introduce legislation to deal with this problem?

While my right hon. Friend cannot altogether accept the inferences underlying the first part of the hon. Member's question, he has under consideration the question of legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Select Committee of the House of Lords who recently reported on the measures which ought to be taken in regard to rabbits, but he is not in a position to say whether it will be possible to introduce legislation this Session.