§ Sir KINGSLEY WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what, if any, undertaking has been given by the owners of the land at Moyser Road, Streatham, now under allotments, with regard to building should possession of the land be resumed; what action, if any, is being taken by the Wandsworth Borough Council, or by the London County Council, to provide alternative allotments for any allotment holders in the borough who may be dispossessed of their present holdings; whether he is aware that in the borough of Wandsworth there are over 200 acres of uncultivated and undeveloped land; and whether he will represent to the Wandsworth Borough Council the necessity of their taking such land for building purposes before any land now held as allotments is taken?
§ Colonel SANDERSAs regards the first part of the question, the local authority 73W have received an undertaking from the owners that they will commence building operations as soon as they get possession. The Wandsworth Borough Council have an allotment site at Valley Road comprising sixteen acres, only a small portion of which has been taken up by allotment-holders. The local authority hope that the nine allottees who will be dispossessed at Moyser Road will take up plots- at Valley Road, and that any other allottees who may be dispossessed from time to time on other allotments in the borough will also do so. The local authority are of opinion that they have exercised their powers under the Cultivation of Lands Order to the greatest possible extent, and practically all derelict unoccupied land has been brought into cultivation as allotments. If the hon. Member will supply information as to the situation of the 200 acres of uncultivated and undeveloped land the Board will have inquiries made to see whether any of it can be obtained for allotments.
§ Sir K. WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he will take action with a view to preventing the dispossession of allotment-holders at Church Fields, South Woodford; whether he is aware that this land is not required for immediate building; and, in view of the powers for compulsory acquisition of land, will he represent to the appropriate local authority the urgency of their putting these powers into operation and retaining this land for allotments until it is actually required for building purposes?
§ Colonel SANDERSThe allotments in question were brought into existence by private enterprise, and the Board have no information with regard to them. Inquiries will be made, and the result communicated to my hon. Friend.
§ Sir K. WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he will bring pressure to bear with a view to securing that the excessive rent of £10 per acre per annum paid by allotment-holders at Wharf Road, Poplar, in addition to the 36s. a year they pay in rates, is reduced to a reasonable agricultural rent?
§ Colonel SANDERSThe allotments arc privately owned, and let by private arrangement, and the Board have no right to interfere with the terms of the agreement