Mr. DUNDAS WHITEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what was the total number of applications for small holdings under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, from the passing of that Act to the end of the year 1913, or, preferably, to the end of July, 1914; and how many and what percentage of them expressed any desire to purchase the holdings?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe total number of applicants to county councils up to the end of 1913 was 43,245. Of these, 793, or 1.8 per cent., expressed a desire to purchase their holdings. I am unable to give the figures up to the end of July, 1914, but up to the end of December, 1914, there had been 46,660 applicants, of whom 854, or 1.8 per cent., desired to purchase.