HC Deb 26 February 1976 vol 906 cc298-300W
Mr. Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many farms and smallholdings exist on his estate at Sutton Bridge; and how many of them has has visited;

(2) how many farms and smallholdings exist on his estate in Holbeach; and how many of them he has visited.

Mr. Strang

My right hon. Friend has not yet visited his estates at Sutton Bridge and Holbeach, on which there are 146 and 78 holdings, respectively. I hope to be able to visit the estates in late spring or early summer.

Unlike Ministry estates elsewhere, there is a resident staff in charge of the estates who keep my right hon. Friend and me in touch with estate matters there.

Mr. Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of his tenants on his estate at Sutton Bridge are over the age of 65 years;

Mr. Strang

Twenty-two, including six tenants of part-time holdings.

Mr. Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of his tenants on his estate at Holbeach are over the age of 65 years.

Mr. Strang

Five occupiers of part-time holdings.

Mr. Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms and smallholdings have become vacant in the last 10 years on his estate at Sutton Bridge; in how many cases the son of the tenant applied for a new lease; and in how many cases the son was successful in his application.

Mr. Strang

Sixty-two holdings at Sutton Bridge became vacant in the last 10 years. Four sons of the previous tenants applied for tenancies, three of whom were successful in their applications.

Mr. Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms and smallholdings have become vacant in the last 10 years on his estate at Holbeach; in how many cases the son of the tenant applied for the new lease; and in how many cases the son was successful in his application.

Mr. Strang

Twenty-nine holdings on my right hon. Friend's estate at Holbeach became vacant in the past 10 years. No sons of the previous tenants applied for the vacant holdings.

Mr. Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he was notified of the death of Mr. Hubbard, a tenant of his estate at Holbeach; whether Mr. Hubbard's son has applied for the tenancy and the date when he first heard that he wished to carry on the tenancy; and whether he has decided to allow the son to be his tenant.

Mr. Strang

Mr. C. W. Hubbard, a tenant on my right hon. Friend's estate at Sutton Bridge, died on 7th June 1975, and my estate manager learned of his death two days later. At a meeting on 7th August with the estate manager and my divisional surveyor, Mr. Hubbard's sons were advised to apply for the tenancy which falls vacant on 29th September 1976. In the meantime, the holding is being farmed by Mr. A. J. Hubbard, and the other sons as personal representatives of the deceased. Following the advertisement of the vacancy in accordance with the requirements of the Smallholdings (Selection of Tenants) Regulations 1970, Mr. A. J. Hubbard formally applied for the tenancy on 13th January 1976.

The Tenants Selection Committee for the estate met on 24th February to consider all the applications for the tenancy, and decided that Mr. A. J. Hubbard should be allowed to take over the tenancy.

Mr. Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the procedure available to his tenants in Sutton Bridge and Holbeach who wish to make representations to him.

Mr. Strang

Yes. There is a full-time resident estate manager who is in frequent contact with the tenants and is readily available to discuss any problems with them. Because of the good relations that exist, no tenant has asked to make representations to my right hon. Friend.

Mr. Body

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will call a meeting of his tenants in Sutton Bridge and Holbeach to hear their views on the proposals contained in the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill relating to the inheritance of tenancies.

Mr. Strang

My right hon. Friend will naturally consider any views which his tenants wish to put to him direct or through the estate manager or to me when I visit the estate in late spring or early summer.