asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his Department is taking steps to provide newly-ploughed land with humus derived from the large supplies of town waste, or whether this method is being encouraged through the efforts of local authorities and private persons?

Yes, Sir. Local authorities which have available waste materials suitable for fertilising purposes have been approached, and I am hoping to issue at an early date an advisory leaflet about the use of such material.

Will the Minister bear in mind that local authorities are now accumulating these materials at the rate of several thousand tons per week, and that up to now neither the local authorities nor the farmers have had the slightest guidance as to whether there is any useful fertilising value in these materials? Can he not take some steps to deal with the enormous stocks of these materials?

That is under consideration.