§ Sir K. WOODasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state generally the results, if any, of the operation of the Allotments Act, 1922, and particularly the steps taken by local authorities to comply with the provisions of that Measure establishing allotment committees, with members representing allotment holders co-opted thereon?
§ Sir R. SANDERSAs my hon. Friend is aware, the Allotments Act, 1922, dealt with a variety of matters affecting allotments, and it is somewhat difficult to deal by question and answer with its results. I am disposed to think, however, that, speaking generally, the local authorities will make full use of the increased powers entrusted to them for the provision of land for allotment gardens, and I may say that no complaints have reached the Ministry during the past three months of unreasonable dispossession of allotment holders. As regards the particular matter referred to in my hon. Friend's question, I have no reason to suppose that local authorities are not complying with the statutory obligation to establish allotment committees constituted in the prescribed manner. Application for exemption from the statutory requirements have, however, been received from 35 authorities, and the Ministry is consulting the Allotments Advisory Committee as to the procedure for dealing with such applications.
§ Sir K. WOODasked the Minister of Agriculture the approximate number of allotments which were acquired under the Defence of the Realm Act and which, at 30th September, 1922, were still held under the provisions of the Defence of the Realm (Acquisition of Land) Act, 1916; whether he is satisfied that local authorities, in response to the Ministry's recent circular, are taking all necessary steps to re-acquire, under their statutory powers, land which the Ministry will relinquish in March next; and what, if 2006W any, further steps are contemplated with a view to avoiding disturbance of allotment holders at that date?
§ Sir R. SANDERSThe Ministry is not in possession of complete returns showing the number of allotments referred to in the first part of my hon. Friend's question, but arrangements were made for the Ministry's allotment inspectors to visit every local authority who, in August last, held any land for allotments under the Defence of the Realm (Acquisition of Land) Act, 1916, with a view of urging the acquisition of the land or alternative land under the Allotments Acts. These visits are nearing completion, and from the reports already received the Ministry is satisfied that, speaking generally, plot-holders will be disturbed in March next only where the land is ripe for building or development, or where the circumstances render its acquisition under the Allotments Acts impossible. In such cases, local authorities have been and will be urged to acquire alternative land to meet the needs of those persons who require other plots to cultivate.
§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the Minister of Agriculture the number of small holdings now in existence compared with the approximate number of 15,000 before the War?
§ Sir R. SANDERSI presume that my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to the number of statutary small holdings, namely, small holdings provided under the Small Holdings and Allotments Acts (the number of which, in 1914, was approximately 15,000). According to the latest returns by local authorities, showing the position on the 15th July last, these authorities had provided 15,804 new small holdings since the Armistice, and the number of statutory small holdings at the present date is therefore approximately 30,000.
§ Sir K. WOODasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, having regard to the fact that temporary allotments on land owned by local authorities and acquired under the Defence of the Realm Regulations are due to be surrendered before the 1st September next year, he can state what steps have been taken by local authorities to provide alternative allotments for holders who have been or will be dispossessed?
2007W
§ Sir R. SANDERSLocal authorities are at present busily engaged in acquiring, under the Allotments Acts, land entered on under Regulation 2L of the Defence of the Realm Regulations, of which land the Ministry will relinquish possession on the 25th March next. Where such land cannot be so acquired, local authorities are engaged in negotiating for the acquisition of alternative land, and until this task is completed I do not feel that the time is opportune for the Ministry to press local authorities in the matter of providing alternative land for the plot holders referred to in my hon. Friend's question, who will remain in occupation of their allotments during next season. As, however, local authorities now possess ample powers to acquire land for allotments and allotment gardens, I have
A. B. C. D. Age. Vaccinated as evidenced by presence of one or more vaccination cicatrices. Stated to have been successfully vaccinated, but no vaccination cicatrix present. Stated to be unvaccinated (or vaccinated unsuccessfully) and no vaccination cicatrix present. Previously unvaccinated but vaccinated during incubation of small-pox. Under 1 year … — — 1 — 1 year … — — — — 2 year … — — — — 3 year … — — 2 — 4 year … — — — — 5 year … — — — — 6 year … — — — — 7 year … — — — — 8 year … — — — — 9 year … — — — — 10 year … — — — — 11 year … — — — — 12 year … — — — — 13 year … — — — 1 14 year … — — — — 15 year … 1 — — — 20 year … — — — — 25 year … 4 — 3 — 30 year … 2 — — — 35 year … 3 — — — 40 year … 8 — — — 50 year … 2 2 — — 60 year … 8 1 — — 70 year … 8 1 1 — 80 year and upwards 1 — — — Totals … 37 4 7 1 No information is available as to the dates of vaccination of the cases included in Column A of the table, but some of these, which had been vaccinated in infancy were re-vaccinated during the incubation period of small-pox.
2008Wevery hope that the requirements of these men will in due course be satisfied where-ever practicable.