§ 39. Mr. Bartleyasked the Minister of Agriculture when the last farm survey of smallholdings in Durham county took place; and what was the position in regard to equipment, use of equipment and the standard of production from the smallholdings.
§ Sir T. DugdaleThe farm survey is a continuing process, and many of the smallholdings in Durham, in common with larger farms, have been surveyed during the past three years. Much of the equipment on these smallholdings belongs to the tenants, such as poultry houses and dutch lights, and standards vary from tenant to tenant. Being designed mainly for pig and poultry production, many of the smallholdings were adversely affected by the rationing of animal feedingstuffs. Some of the equipment on them was not fully utilised and the standard of production was not in all cases satisfactory.
§ 40. Mr. Bartleyasked the Minister of Agriculture the number of tenants of county council smallholdings in Durham county for each year since 1945, showing the number of full-time and part-time holdings separately.
§ Sir T. DugdaleThe answer is as follows:
DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL SMALLHOLDINGS NUMBER OF TENANTS Year On full-time holdings On part-time holdings Total 1945 … 300 163 463 1946 … 299 165 464 1947 … 297 150 447 1948 … 297 155 452 1949 … 306 140 446 1950 … 297 137 434 1951 … 284 134 418 1952 … 234 143 377 1953 … 223 129 352 Note: The figures given above do not include sub-lettings by smallholdings societies.
157W
41. Mr. Hartleyasked the Minister of Agriculture the normal buildings and equipment provided by the county councils on each type of smallholding in county Durham; and whether he is satisfied that each holding has been so provided when let to a tenant.
§ Sir T. DugdaleThe fixed equipment provided necessarily varies with the type of holding. I have no detailed information about the equipment provided when individual holdings were let.