§ Sir KINGSLEY WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he can indicate the whereabouts of the 130 acres given as the total area of land acquired by the London County Council for allotments under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act; and under what terms these allotments are held by the respective allotment holders?
Sir ARTHUR BOSCAWENI am informed that the London County Council948W have acquired under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, some fifty-three acres of land for allotments at Perry Rise, Catford; Church Manor Way, Plumstead; Shooters Hill, Charlton; and West Norwood. A further area of, approximately, eighty acres of land acquired under the Housing and other Acts is used for allotments. The terms on which the allotments are held by the respective allotment-holders are presumably governed by the rules made by the Council with the approval of the Board for the letting of allotments, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.
§ Sir K. WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what steps, if any, have been taken under the Acquisition of Land Act, 1916, to purchase compulsorily or by agreement any land now held for the purpose of allotments under the Cultivation of Lands Order?
Sir A. BOSCAWENIn accordance with instructions contained in a Circular Letter issued to local authorities by the Board on the 21st February last, local authorities are negotiating for the continuance in the Board's occupation of land entered on for allotments under Regulation 2l of the Defence of the Realm Regulations, but the Board have not yet been asked to approve the purchase of any such land under the Defence of the Realm (Acquisition of Land) Act, 1916. In view of the fact that the greater part of the land entered upon possesses a present or prospective building value it could not be purchased, except at prohibitive prices, and the only practicable course is to hire it at an agricultural rent till it is required for building.
§ Sir K. WOODasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he will take steps to cause county councils to make periodical returns of the number of allotments acquired by them under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908; and if he will have such Returns published from time to time by the Board?
Sir A. BOSCAWENUnder Section 59 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, county councils are required to send to the Board annually a report of their proceedings under the Act during the preceding year. These returns were, with the authority of Parliament, suspended during the War, but they will in due course be called for and published.