§ 18. Sir SAMUEL ROSBOTHAMasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will state the six county councils that have established the largest numbers of smallholdings and the respective figures; the names of those county councils which have set up less than 12 holdings and the respective numbers; and what action the Ministry propose to facilitate the policy of land settlement?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Major Elliot)As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The six county councils that have established the largest number of holdings since the passing of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, up to the 31st December, 1932—the date of the latest returns—are:
| Holdings. | |
| The Isle of Ely | 2,501 |
| Norfolk | 2,067 |
| Cambridge | 1,945 |
| Bedford | 1,825 |
| Worcester | 1,408 |
| Somerset | 1,406 |
§ These figures include holdings sold to smallholders by the respective councils as well as those still retained and let, but do not include holdings which councils have given up. No county councils have provided less than 12 holdings during the period mentioned.
§ Under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1926, the six county councils in England and Wales which have established the largest number of holdings up to the 31st December, 1932, are:
| Holdings. | |
| Worcester | 155 |
| Lancashire | 90 |
| Salop | 86 |
| Cheshire | 84 |
| West Suffolk | 75 |
| Norfolk | 66 |
§ The county councils which under the 1926 Act have established less than 12 holdings are:—
| Holdings. | |
| Beds. | 1 |
| Berks. | 8 |
| Cornwall | 10 |
| Cumberland | — |
| Derby | 3 |
| Hants. | — |
| Hertford | 1 |
| Hunts. | 8 |
| Lines. (Holland) | 1 |
| Lines. (Lindsey) | — |
| Northants. | 2 |
| Northumberland | 7 |
| Notts. | 8 |
| Oxford | — |
| Rutland | — |
| Soke of Peterborough | — |
| Suffolk, East | 6 |
| Sussex, East | 2 |
| Holdings. | |
| Sussex, West | — |
| Westmorland | — |
| Yorks. N. Riding | 8 |
| Wales. | |
| Brecon | 1 |
| Caernarvon | — |
| Cardigan | — |
| Carmarthen | 7 |
| Denbigh | 5 |
| Merioneth | 5 |
| Radnor | 5 |
§ In reply to the last part of the question, facilities already exist for the provision of further holdings under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1926, and I am prepared to consider any schemes put forward by county councils for approval under Section 2 of that Act, provided such schemes are framed with due regard to the particular necessity for economy in public expenditure at the present time.