§ Mr. THOMAS GRIFFITHSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that 16,810 applications for county council holdings have been received by the county councils from ex-Service and Service men, whereas the total number already provided with holdings is only 349, and that the county councils seem at present unlikely, unless further steps are taken by the Board of Agriculture, to be able even to keep pace with the arrears in the normal demand for email holdings which have been accentuated during the War, the Government intends itself to inaugurate a scheme of its own for the provision of holdings for the 16,810 applicants and such other Service and ex-Service men as may make application, in addition to the provision made by the county councils, and also in addition to the provision for farm settlements administered by the Board whether he will take immediate steps to ensure that the facilities for securing holdings, repeatedly promised by the Government, are brought fully to the notice of all Service and ex-Service men; and whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a copy of any circular or circulars issued or to be issued with this purpose in view?
§ Mr. PRATTThe Board are satisfied that most of the county councils are doing everything possible to acquire land to meet the demand for small holdings, but considerable delay is caused by the fact that vacant possession of land acquired cannot be obtained at once, and the building of cottages and the necessary buildings must take some time after vacant possession has been obtained. As regards the second part of the question, the Land2056W Settlement Bill, now before Parliament, authorises the Board for a, period of two years after the passing of the Act to provide small holdings in any county where a council are not carrying out their duty in this respect. As regards the latter part of the question, the Government scheme for land settlement has been brought fully to the notice of Service and ex-Service men. Over 1,000,000 copies of a pamphlet for men and over 250,000 copies of a pamphlet for officers, entitled "Land Settlement in the Mother Country," have been distributed through the Army Council and by the Board. I am sending copies of these pamphlets to the hon. Member. It does not seem necessary to lay copies upon the Table of the House.