asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres of agricultural land are farmed by their owners; and how many acres are let to tenants, exclusive of Government or local authorities holdings, for agricultural purposes?

The returns furnished on 4th June last under the Agricultural Returns Act, 1925, by occupiers of holdings of over one acre in extent afford only a rough indication of the area of land farmed by owner-occupiers. It is estimated that in the current year approximately 9,500,000 acres of land were farmed in England and Wales by owner-occupiers, out of a total of 28,900,000 acres of cultivated land and rough grazings returned as in occupation in the country. I regret that it is not practicable to give figures exclusive of holdings owned by the Government or by local authorities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the total amount, for the latest complete year, of the subsidies paid to agriculture including sugar-beet?

The total amount of the subsidies paid to agriculture from Votes accounted for by my Department in the financial year 1937 was £6,413,339, made up as follows:

	£
Sugar Industry (Reorganisation) Act, 1936:
Subsidy etc. on Sugar	1,217,904
Livestock Industry Act, 1937:
Payments to Producers	3,943,210
Milk Acts, 1934 to 1937:
Payments in respect of milk used for manufacture and for increasing the demand for milk (excluding Scotland)	614,131
Agriculture Act, 1937, Part I—Land Fertility Improvement (Contributions towards cost of Lime and Basic Slag)	638,094
	£6,413,339

In addition, deficiency payments amounting to £1,933,575 were made from the Wheat Fund (Wheat Act, 1932), to registered growers in respect of sales of wheat in the cereal year ended 31st July, 1938.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the difficulty the farmers are experiencing in Cumberland in obtaining supplies of basic slag under the land fertility scheme; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take to rectify this shortage?

As regards the first part of the question, I am aware that the supplies of basic slag now available are not sufficient to meet the demand. I have no reason to suppose, however, that there is any preferential treatment in the distribution of the available supplies to the different parts of the country.As regards the second part, the supply of this fertiliser is, as my hon. Friend will be aware, entirely dependent upon the output of certain kinds of steel, and is not, therefore, a matter over which I have any control, I understand, however, that the steel output in October last showed an advance of 100,000 tons over that of the previous month and that there was a further increase in November; and I am hopeful that with the reduction in price over a wide range of iron and steel products as from 1st January next, which has recently been announced, there will be a consequent increase in the supply of basic slag.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India in what way the attitude of His Majesty's Government towards constitutional reform in Indian States has recently been modified; and what is the policy of His Majesty's Government towards the present agitation in various Indian States?

His Majesty's Government adhere fully to the statement made by my Noble Friend the Member for Horsham (Earl Winterton) in his reply on 21st February last on this subject. The Paramount Power will not obstruct proposals for constitutional advance initiated by Rulers. But His Majesty's Government have no intention of bringing any form of pressure to bear upon them to initiate constitutional changes. It rests with the Rulers themselves to decide what form of government they should adopt in the diverse conditions of Indian States.With regard to the second part of the question, the obligations of the Paramount Power to the States extend to protecting Rulers against violence and disorder and to advising and assisting Rulers in remedying such legitimate grievances of their subjects as may be found to exist.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total value of agricultural production in Scotland before the Great War and in 1937 in terms of pre-War money values?

The estimated value of the agricultural output of Scotland in the year 1908 was £26,450,000. The estimated value of the output in the year June, 1936, to May, 1937, was £40,385,000, which on the basis of the index number of agricultural prices for 1908 is roughly equivalent to £28,600,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the terms under which dredging of fishing harbours in the Firth of Forth is carried out by the Fishery Board for Scotland; and what reply has been given to the recent request for the dredging of Pittenweem harbour?

The authorities of Scottish fishery harbours are required to make payment for the services of the dredgers calculated at a rate dependent on the nature of the material to be removed. The normal rate for ordinary soft material is 2s. 6d, per cubic yard, hopper measurement. In so far as an authority is unable to bear the cost of the necessary dredging, the charge may, with the consent of the Development Commissioners, be waived either in whole or in part.The application for the dredging of Pittenweem harbour relates to dredging after the termination of the winter fishing and was received only on the 8th instant. The application is receiving consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can now announce the detailed terms of the scheme of loans available for the building of new motor-vessels under the recent Herring Industry Act?

I am informed that the new Herring Industry Board have the formulation of a scheme of loans under active consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the probable destruction of cargoes coming to Great Britain during a war, he is satisfied with the present position of shipyards especially suitable for the construction of cargo boats lying idle or likely to be so?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Dumbarton Burghs (Mr. Kirkwood) on 6th December. I can assure the hon. Member that the aspect of the shipbuilding problem which he has in mind will not be overlooked

asked the Postmaster-General why the application of the Agricultural Construction and Supply Company for a telephone to be installed in their branch office, No. 6, Cattle Market, Reading, has not been complied with, although the contract was signed several weeks ago, and only excuses about the installation not being put in are given to all inquiries; and whether he will have immediate attention given to this contract and have the work completed at an early date?

I am glad to say that the Agricultural Construction and Supply Company will be given telephone service next week. The demand for telephone service at Reading has been so great that the existing exchange equipment was filled to capacity before an extension, which was under construction, could be completed. Some delay in connecting new subscribers was therefore unavoidable.