HC Deb 24 November 1908 vol 197 cc117-9
MR. ROGERS (Wiltshire, Devizes)

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether, in order to expedite the acquisition of land under the Small Holdings Act, the Board will be prepared to specify some reasonable period of time at the expiry of which it will expect the requirements of all suitable applicants, whose applications were made immediately after the passing of the Act, to have been satisfied.

THE TREASURER OF THE HOUSEHOLD (Sir EDWARD STRACHEY,) Somerset, S.

The suggestion will be borne in mind, but the Board do not think the time has yet come to carry it out.

MR. BENNETT (Oxfordshire, Woodstock)

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that at a recent conference of the county councils Lord Carrington described it as a most admirable suggestion?

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

I am not aware of that.

MR. MORRELL (Oxfordshire, Henley)

Is the hon. Member aware that under Section 3 of the Act if the Commissioners and the Board of Agriculture were fully to carry out their duties it would be impossible for a county council to delay carrying out a scheme for more than six months?

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

That does not arise out of the Question on the Paper.

MR. ROGERS

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he is aware that inquiries held under the Small Holdings Act have revealed the existence of a large demand for land in places where such demand cannot be satisfied locally owing to the prevalent system of cultivation being already one of small holdings, more particularly in parts of Wales, Lancashire, and Somerset; and whether the Board will consider the desirability of so amending the Act as to give to a central authority power to create opportunities of land holding for persons who are willing to move out of their own districts.

SIR EDWARD STRACHEY

The Board are aware that there are difficulties in acquiring land in those parts of the country where a large number of small holdings already exist, but no amendment of the Act is necessary to enable county councils to provide holdings for applicants who are prepared to move outside their own county.