Mr. KINGasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture how many applications have been granted under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1907, how many acres have been applied for, and how many obtained under that Act; and how many acres to how many persons have been so allotted to applicants in the counties of Somerset and Gloucester respectively?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYIn Gloucestershire 754 applications have been made for 12,374 acres, but it is not possible to state the number approved as suitable, inasmuch as no definite decision is arrived at by the county council until they have land to let. The total area required is 4,119 acres. The county council have acquired, or agreed to acquire, 1,547 acres, of which 1,467 acres have been let to 141 applicants, and 108 have obtained holdings from private landowners direct. In Somerset 2,106 applications have been made for 29,087 acres, of which 1,182 for 16,702 acres have been provisionally approved. The county council have acquired, or agreed to acquire, 4,135 acres, of which 3,365 acres have been let to 227 applicants, and eighty-four applicants have obtained land privately.