§ Brigadier-General SURTEESasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture what is the total number of demobilised men who have been placed 694W upon the land and how many have been so placed during the last three months; what is the average size of each holding and what is the average rent; and what efforts, with this end in view, have been made by the Department to purchase any of the numerous estates which have recently come into the market?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe total number of ex-service men who have been settled on the land since the 1st January, 1919, is 6,642, of whom 1,345 have been so placed during the last three months. The average size of the holdings provided by the local Councils is 15.1 acres; but as the value of land varies considerably in England and Wales any figures as to the average rent charged would be misleading. In reply to the last part of the question, the area of land acquired by Councils since the 1st January, 1919, is 205,240 acres. In addition the Ministry has acquired 28,159 acres for farm settlements, making a total area acquired of 233,399 acres. Of this area 178,674 acres have been purchased, a considerable proportion at auction; but Councils failed to acquire 73,658 acres, for which they bid at auction during the past 18 months, owing to the prices realised being in excess of the amounts up to which the Ministry felt able to authorise bidding. It will, of course, be realised that a considerable area of this land is not yet available for letting in small holdings owing to the fact that Councils have not yet obtained vacant possession of the whole of the land acquired.