§ 7. Sir William Waylandasked the Secretary of State for War the amount of land and the number of farms recently purchased by his Department in Southeast and East Kent; and the total acreage it is intended to purchase, the position of the land, and for what purposes it is intended to be used?
§ The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Hore-Belisha)Land in South-east Kent in the area between Canterbury, Folkestone and Dover is required for military training. It is in contemplation to purchase some 16,000 acres in this area, but no purchases have been completed.
§ Sir W. WaylandWhen the purchases have been completed will the farmers be allowed to remain on; if so, on what, if any, special conditions?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaI will communicate with my hon. Friend and give him the answer which he requires.
§ Mr. ThorneIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that as soon as land owners know the War Office are to purchase land, the price goes up by 50 per cent.?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaNo, because we have compulsory powers in case of necessity.
§ Mr. ThorneDoes that mean you have to go to arbitration in the case of every site?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThis is an arbitrated figure.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsHas the right hon. Gentleman assured himself that there is no land of less agricultural value than the land which has been bought?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThat is one of the considerations. Another is the necessity of having training grounds in particular areas.
§ Mr. WilliamsWhen such large areas are being taken over for Government purposes, do the Department ascertain the relative values for agricultural purposes of one area and another?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaI have given instructions that all those considerations should be borne most carefully in mind, and that the utmost respect should be shown to both the agricultural and the town planning considerations involved. The War Office never takes a step except from necessity.