asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider the granting of travel facilities to members of the Women's Land Army upon terms not less favourable than those announced by the Minister of Labour for workers who have been transferred to war work by his Department since 1st June, 1940?

I am glad to assure the hon. Member that such facilities are already provided.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that landowners in many parts of the country are demanding big increases in rents from farmers, which may lead to increased prices for produce; and what steps does the Government contemplate taking to prevent landowners demanding increases in rent?

Farm rents under existing tenancy contracts are not subject to revision except by agreement between the parties, or as the result of arbitration under Section 12 of the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1923. In the case of a fresh contract the rent to be paid is a matter for arrangement between the parties. I have heard of some isolated cases of increased rents, but I have no general information on the point.

May I ask the Minister whether he has not seen the reports in the Press of these cases, and surely it is an illustration of where the landlords—

rose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that much disquiet has been caused among smallholders in Lincolnshire by the order drastically to reduce acreage under bulbs for export; that such a change would destroy the capital of many ex-Servicemen; and whether holders of less than 50 acres can be excluded from the proposal?

The reductions which have been made since the outbreak of war in the acreage allowed for bulb growing are essential in the interests of food production. I regret that I cannot make exceptions in favour of any particular class of growers.

Cannot some compensation be given to the smaller people, who have lost a large amount of their capital?

They were warned as long ago as September, 1939, of what was likely to happen, and they have done pretty well in the intervening years.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the acreage occupied by many of these smallholders is so restricted that in the absence of permission to grow these crops it will be very difficult for them to secure a living from their holdings?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any experiments have been undertaken in this country in growing rubber-bearing plants; and whether he has full information of the rubber crop now being cultivated in various regions of Russia?

The answer to both parts of the Question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the harm likely to be caused to the livestock Indus- try of this country by the improper or indiscriminate use of artificial insemination, he will take the necessary steps to ensure that this practice is properly controlled?

Yes, Sir. The Agricultural Improvement Council, which, as my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, recently appointed a Committee for the purpose of supervising the initiation and conduct of two large-scale field trials in artificial insemination at Cambridge and Reading, have expressed the view that in order to avoid jeopardising the successful establishment of this practice, steps should be taken to prevent its indiscriminate commercial exploitation. I accordingly propose to ask Parliament at the first convenient opportunity for powers enabling me, in the interests of the livestock industry, to control the practice of artificial insemination by specifying the conditions under which it may be employed and by restricting its use to properly authorised persons in all cases, except where the animals to be inseminated are in the same ownership as the animal providing the semen.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in connection with the employment of young people on threshing machines, he will take steps, through the county war agricultural committees, to draw the attention of those employing them to the danger of accidents which can be guarded against; and, regarding some implements which are dilapidated and rotten, especially in connection with the platforms and safety-boards to the feeders, take adequate steps to ensure that these implements are in a sound condition in view of the number of accidents which took place last season?

I will certainly draw attention to the importance of guarding against accidents with threshing machines, and see what more can be done to impress on owners the necessity for safeguards.

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that this Question was inspired by the large number of accidents which took place in my constituency, and will he be good enough specially to draw attention to it there?