HC Deb 15 July 1930 vol 241 cc1094-5
54. Mr. SKELTON

asked the Minister of Agriculture the average cost of constituting a small holding in 1920 and in 1929 respectively?

The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Dr. Addison)

Owing to the wide variations in the size, type and equipment of small holdings, it is not possible to give general average figures as desired, but I may say that the cost of land purchased for this purpose has fallen by 25 per cent. from approximately £40 per

— Number of applicants. Number provided with holdings. Total.
On land acquired before 15th December, 1926.* On land acquired after 15th December, 1926.*
1927 … … 3,248 890 98 988
1928 … … 2,757 1,133 153 1,286
1929 … … 2,440 817 146 963
*The date of the passing of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1926.

In addition to the number of applicants as stated above, there were at the end of 1926 5,565 applicants on the waiting lists. The corresponding number on the 31st December, 1929, was 5,369, and during the intervening period 5,404 applications were either rejected or withdrawn.