§ Sir KINGSLEY WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether arrangements and, if so, what are being made by the Ealing Borough Council to provide other allotments for holders who may be dispossessed of their plots at Ealing Park Gardens?
§ Mr. PRATTThe Board are advised that it is doubtful whether building operations will be commenced for some 393W time, and consequently it is hoped that the allotment-holders will not be disturbed at any rate before the end of the present season. The borough council always give dispossessed holders a preference in filling vacancies on their existing allotments, which number over 4,000. As soon as the Land Settlement Bill becomes law allotment authorities will have greater facilities to meet their needs in this respect.
§ Sir K. WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether compensation to allotment-holders who may be dispossessed of their allotments is, under the Cultivation of Lands Order, payable only up to 1st January next; whether it is proposed to extend the time for the payment of such compensation; and on what basis compensation is calculated?
§ Mr. PRATTThe Cultivation of Lands Order provides for the payment of compensation to any allotment-holder who is dispossessed before 1st January, 1920. When the Defence of the Realm Regulations lapse at the termination of the War the Board propose to continue the payment of compensation to allotment-holders who have to be dispossessed of land of which the Board have retained possession under the Defence of the Realm (Acquisition of Land) Act, 1916. The basis of compensation is the value at the time of quitting of the crops growing on the land and the labour expended upon and manure applied to the land since the taking of the last crop in anticipation of a future crop.