§ MR. MORRELL (Oxfordshire, Henley)To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether any case has yet occurred in which the Commissioners have made a Report to the Board with regard to the demand for small holdings as provided in Section 2 (3) of the Small Holdings Act.
(Answered by Sir Edward Straehey.) The reply is in the negative.
§ MR. MORRELLTO ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether his attention has been called to the fact that, out of the 595 applicants who have already been provided for under the Small Holdings Act, 145 have been provided for by one county council, that two other councils have provided for 154 applicants, and 10 other councils for 234, that 15 councils have only succeeded in providing between them for 62 applicants, and 31 councils have not as yet provided for any at all; and whether, in view of the discrepancy shown by these figures and of the disappointment that has been caused in 718 many rural districts by the present working of the Act, the Board will now put into operation their powers of inquiry and report as provided in Sections 2 and 3 of the Act, so that they may exercise a more effective supervision than they have yet been able to do.
(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The Board are aware of the facts to which my hon. friend refers, but they are of opinion that the general exorcise of their powers, as suggested by my hon. friend, would in effect retard rather than advance the provision of small holdings for those who are entitled to them.