§ 1. Mr. C. Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken in St. Helena to satisfy applicants for agricultural holdings.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Julian Amery)Seventy-eight acres of Government land have been let to 209 tenants as food gardens. Twenty-six applicants are on the waiting list for similar tenancies and holdings are now being prepared which will provide for sixteen of these.
Two holdings large enough to support full-time farmers have also been let recently.
The Government hope to be able to provide further holdings of this size from privately-owned land. They are now negotiating to buy this.
§ Mr. HughesCan the Under-Secretary of State say what steps are being taken to acquire the very large farm now available for sale in St. Helena and, if the land is acquired, how many holdings will be available?
§ Mr. AmeryThis was the land to which I was referring in my reply. I cannot say exactly how many holdings it would provide.