§ 32. Mr. FENBYasked the Minister of Agriculture what has been the total expenditure to date by the State and the county councils on land settlement in England and Wales since the War?
Mr. GUINNESSAs the reply is rather long, I propose with the hon. Member's permission to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
§ The total net capital expenditure on land settlement incurred by county and county borough councils in England and Wales since the Armistice is approximately £15¼ million, of which about 207 £14 millions (net) was advanced by the Public Works Loan Commissioners from the Land, Settlement Fund and the remainder was borrowed by local authorities from other sources. These loans are being repaid with interest over a term of years, and after allowing for the annual charges in respect thereof, the aggregate annual losses incurred by councils since 1st April, 1919, and recouped by the Ministry to date amount to £5,622,000. When considering the aggregate expenditure, it must be remembered that the latter sum is approximately equivalent to the amount received by the Public Works Loan Board as interest on advances from the Land Settlement Fund. The above figures do not include the comparatively small expenditure hitherto incurred by councils under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1926. In addition to the above-mentioned amounts, the net expenditure by the Ministry in the settlement of ex-service men on its own estates has been approximately £767,000, part of which, however, was incurred prior to the Armistice.