asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is satisfied that there are sufficient agricultural workers to maintain this country's food production at its highest level.

I have good hopes that the supply of labour will be adequate for the fulfilment of this year's production programme. As regards the longer term future, the Government are doing their best, by measures designed to establish the industry on a sound basis and to bring about an improvement in living conditions in the countryside, to attract a regular labour force sufficient to maintain agricultural production at the level required in the national interest.

When my right hon. Friend is doing that, will he consult with the Minister of Labour and ask him why American ex-soldiers of good character and some capital are being excluded from settling on the land?

I am not aware of that.

Is it not a fact that it is impossible to get British labour on to the land unless there are houses in which to put the workers; and what is the right hon. Gentleman doing to persuade his right hon. Friend the Minister of Health to supply houses for rural workers?

It is no great discovery for me to find that there are fewer houses in the countryside than are necessary.

Would the right hon. Gentleman look further into the cases of Italian ex-prisoners of war who are anxious to come back to this country, whose former employers want them, but are now excluded by reason of the Home Office ban?

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour. I do not think he will find that there is a ban on these men.

Will the Minister use his influence with the Minister of Labour to ensure that those German prisoners of war who are anxious to remain here in agriculture as free workmen are enabled to do so?

Mr. Baldwin:

Is the Minister aware that the agricultural industry wants regular labour and houses in the countryside for the labourers; and will he impress on the Minister of Health the necessity for providing those houses?

Mr. De la Bère:

asked the Minister of Agriculture what plans he has formulated to help to catch up the arrears of cultivation on the farms throughout the country caused by the exceptionally severe weather during the last four weeks, with special regard to the provision of additional labour to be made available on the termination of the existing severe weather period.

I have every hope that the supply of labour will be generally adequate for the spring cultivations. County war agricultural executive committees will, of course, be prepared to help as far as they can with prisoner and other labour.

Mr. De la Bère:

Is not the right hon. Gentleman yet fully aware of the unparalleled difficulties facing the whole farming community because of the last few weeks' weather? Will the Government treat this matter with some sense of urgency, instead of just hoping for more men and more machinery when the weather breaks—and more houses, above all else?

And the Government are making unparelleled efforts to supply all the needs of the farmers.

Mr. De la Bère:

Where is the note of urgency?