§ MR. BENNETT (Oxfordshire, Woodstock)To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether any schemes for carrying out the provisions of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act of 1907 have as vet been received from any county council by the Board of Agriculture; and whether the Board will take steps to secure that all such schemes shall be submitted to it by the end of June.
(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) Schemes have been received from the county councils of Gloucester, the Isle of Wight, Radnor, and Somerset. Several other councils will probably send in schemes very shortly; but, inasmuch as it requires considerable time to investigate the very large number of applications received and to obtain the land necessary to satisfy the demand, the Board do not think it desirable to fix any particular (late by which schemes must be sent in. The Commissioners, I may add, are in constant communication with the county councils, and they will see that there is no unavoidable delay in carrying out the provisions of the Acts.