§ 31. Mr. FENBYasked the Minister of Agriculture when he proposes to introduce legislation for the further extension of small holdings?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Guinness)Good progress is being made in regard to the preparation of the Bill referred to by the hon. Member, but I regret that I am not yet in a position to state the date when it will be introduced.
§ Mr. GUINNESSI have every hope that it will be.
§ Mr. NOEL BUXTONWill the introduction of legislation depend on the completion of the valuation which is taking place this month, and is that proceeding rapidly?
§ Mr. GUINNESSThe valuation is going on quite rapidly, but the new legislation does not depend in any way on winding-up the existing schemes.
§ Mr. SKELTONWill the Bill referred to apply to Scotland, or will that country have a separate Bill?
§ Mr. GUINNESSPerhaps the hon. Member will put that question to the Secretary for Scotland.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSAre the prospective new small holdings going to be self-supporting?
§ 39. Mr. BUXTONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, having regard to the fact that the official statistics of holdings not exceeding 50 acres include many residential properties and accommodation fields not occupied by smallholders, he will arrange that provision be made for obtaining in the next Returns statistics showing the number of genuine small holdings and the number of holdings devoted to other purposes?
§ Mr. GUINNESSInquiries have recently been made through the crop reporters regarding the number of residential properties, accommodation fields and similar types of land which are included as agricultural holdings in the official statistics. It is hoped to publish the results of these inquiries in the Report on the Census of Agricultural Production, which will probably be issued before the end of the year.
§ Mr. BUXTONIs it not the opinion of the right hon. Gentleman that the present statistics are very unreliable evidence as to the supposed decrease of small holdings?
§ Mr. GUINNESSYes. I do not think it is possible to base upon the existing statistics any assumption that the number of small holdings proper has been decreased, and we are asking for it to be indicated in the parish lists which hold- 835 ings are accommodation fields, residential properties, etc., so that in future we may know more about it.
§ Mr. PALINGCan the right. hon. Gentleman say about what time this information will be available?
§ Mr. GUINNESSWe hope to publish the Report before the end of the year. It takes a considerable time to prepare.