§ Mr. RILEYasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total amount of land in England and Wales now in the ownership of local public authorities, the Forestry Commissioners, and other State Departments, respectively?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEThe information is as follows:
LAND IN THE OWNERSHIP OP LOCAL PUBLIC AUTHORITIES, THE FORESTRY COMMISSION, AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS OP STATE. Acres. Local Public Authorities: County Councils and County Borough Councils. For purposes of small holdings (at 31st December, 1935) 399,596 Local Authorities. For purposes of allotments (at 31st December, 1934) *21,496 County Councils. For purposes of agricultural education (excluding certain small demonstration plots, sites of houses, etc., which in the aggregate would not total more than 100 acres) (approximately) 6,500 Admiralty 7,690 Air Ministry 41,000 Ministry of Agriculture 8,959 Crown Lands 220,000 Royal Parks (Office of Works) 5,620 Home Office 2,465 Forestry Commission 957,000 Ministry of Labour †— War Office 207,906 Total 1,886,090 * In addition 7,167 acres of land owned by Local Authorities for other public purposes were in use at 31st December, 1934, as allotments. † The Ministry owns no land. 691 acres have been acquired in the name of Commissioner for Special Areas. The above figures do not cover land in the ownership of local authorities, except land held by them for agricultural education, small holdings and allotments. The figures for the areas of public buildings under the jurisdiction of the Office of Works and for certain small areas held by other Departments for special purposes, such as roads, are also excluded from this statement. These could not be 1947W supplied without disproportionate expenditure of time and labour. Certain foreshores are owned by the Commissioners for Crown Lands, the Admiralty and the Board of Trade on behalf of the Crown. It is not possible to compute their area.