§ 64. Mr. SORENSENasked the Minister of Agriculture the number of smallholders leasing or purchasing land from county councils; the average size of the holdings; and the percentage of failures for the past three years?
§ Dr. ADDISONOn the 31st December, 1929, there were 27,563 tenants of small holdings provided by county councils and councils of county boroughs in England and Wales; the total area of such holdings was 439,319 acres, giving an average of 16 acres per holding. The area of land sold by councils up to the same date, excluding land not needed for small holdings, was 5,463 acres and 918 the number of purchasers 674, an average of eight acres. I have no precise information as to the percentage of failures during the past three years, but the number is believed to be very small.