§ 39. Mr. NOEL BUXTONasked the Minister of Agriculture the total number of applications made by smallholders to purchase their holdings under the Small Holdings Act, 1908, and the Land Settlement Facilities Act, 1919?
§ 57. Mr. ELLIS DAVIESasked the Minister of Agriculture what is the number of statutory smallholders who have purchased their small holdings under the Small Holdings Act, 1908, and under the Land Settlement Act?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Guinness)It is not possible to state the number of applications for purchase as distinct from actual purchases. The number of small holdings sold to the occupiers by county councils and councils of county boroughs under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, and the Small Holdings Act, 1892, which was repealed by that Act, up to the date of the passing of the Land Settlement (Facilities) Act, 1919, was 126. The number sold between that date and the 31st December, 1924, was 346. In addition, 182 small holdings were purchased by sitting tenants from their landlords with the aid of advances made by county councils under Section 19 of the Act of 1908.
§ Mr. BUXTONIs it not the case that when a man applies for a smallholding he has to fill in a form stating whether he wishes to hire or to purchase, and, if the right hon. Gentleman has not the figures, will he take steps to get the county councils to furnish these figures, which would be of great interest on the question of the desire to purchase?
§ Mr. GUINNESSI will see what can be got, but the right hon. Gentleman will remember that in the case of ex-service men settled on the land they cannot, I think, give notice to purchase until about six years after they have been on their holdings.
§ Captain WATERHOUSEIs it the policy of the right hon. Gentleman to encourage these men to buy where possible?
§ Mr. GUINNESSCertainly.