§ 38. Mr. OSWALD LEWISasked the Minister of Agriculture the number of smallholdings in England and Wales the freehold of which is owned by public authorities and by private persons, respectively?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Dr. Addison)As the answer contains a number of figures, I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer.
§ No figures are directly available as to the number of smallholdings in private ownership; but the total number of holdings between one acre and 50 acres in extent returned in 1930 in England and Wales was 254,929, of which the following are known to be on land the freehold of which is owned by the authorities specified:
| Councils of Counties and County Boroughs (about) | 23,000 |
| Forestry Commission | 971* |
| Commissioners of Crown Lands (about) | 420† |
| Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries | 249 |
| War Department | 251 |
| Air Ministry | 5 |
| Duchy of Cornwall (about) | 300 |
| Duchy of Lancaster | 69 |
| * Some of these holdings are held by the Commissioners on long leases. | |
| † Let direct to smallholders. In addition about 6,650 acres are leased to various public bodies for sub-letting in smallholdings, but the number of holdings is not known. |