§ Mr. G. ROBERTSasked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been directed to an arbitration award made under the Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919, on a reference between the Beckenham Urban District Council and a Mr. John Cator, by which the acquiring authority is to pay a rent of £150 per annum for 10.8 acres of allotment land; if he is aware that this land was leased until 1918 as a sports ground at a rental of £3 per acre, then rented for allotments by mutual agreement at £5 per acre, and that adjacent land has been recently leased for a sports ground at a rental less than half the rate per acre of the arbitrator's award; and whether, having regard to the grave discouragement to the allotments movement which must ensue from the fixation of
1998W
— — British West Indies. Italy. Cwts. Cwts. Citrate of Lime 1920 … 1,933 25,956 1921 … 4,122 6,360 Gallons. Gallons. Lime and lemon juice, unfermented, not containing added spirit or added sweetening matter, and not liable to duty as table water 1920 … 413,003 112,410 1921 … 406,780 46,638 exorbitant and uneconomic rents, he can take any action which will make it possible for the allotment holders concerned to continue occupation and cultivation of the land in question?
§ Major BARNSTONI have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend is informed by the Beckenham Urban District Council that the facts, as far as they are known to the council, are substantially as stated in the first two parts of the right hon. Member's question. The Minister of Agriculture has no jurisdiction with regard to an award by an official arbitrator under the Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919, and, therefore, has no power to take any action in the matter.