§ Mr. HOBHOUSEasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any information as to the present demand for small holdings in England and Wales; what was the date of the last official estimate; and what was the number of unsatisfied applicants contained in that estimate?
§ Mr. BUXTONAccording to returns furnished by the councils of counties and county boroughs in England and Wales in January last, the total number of unsatisfied applicants for small holdings at that date (excluding men who had been definitely rejected as unsuitable) was as follows:
889WThe Ministry has reason to believe that if the lists were revised at the present time the number of effective applicants would be found to be substantially below the figures given, but on the other hand, further suitable applicants would no doubt come forward if county councils were in a position to provide them with holdings at a reasonably early date.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEasked the Minister of Agriculture the number and total acreage of new holdings provided under the Small Holdings Act and Land Settlement Acts, respectively, during the 12 months ending January, 1924?
§ Mr. BUXTONAccording to returns furnished by Councils up to the end of 1922, 18,600 men had been settled on holdings since the inception of the Land Settlement scheme in December, 1918, of whom 16,699 were settled on new holdings provided since that date, and the remainder on pre-War holdings provided under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908. From returns furnished at the end of 1923, 21,358 men had been settled since December, 1918, of whom 2,750 had left for various reasons, and 18,608 were still in occupation. Of the 18,608 smallholders, 16,508 were in occupation of holdings provided on land acquired since December, 1918, and 2,100 on land prior to the War. The returns furnished at the end of 1922 did not distinguish the men who had vacated their holdings, and did not in every case include such men, and for this reason it is neither possible to give an exact figure of the number of men settled during the year 1923, nor to give the acreage of the new holdings provided during the 12 months ending January, 1924. The total acreages corresponding to the number of men settled given above are as follow:
Men settled from December, 1918, up to end of 1922. Number. Acreage. On post war land … 16,699 238,466 On pre-war land … 1,901 24,070 Men settled from December, 1918, up to end of 1923 Number. Acreage. Still in occupation of post-war land … 16,508 239,378 pre-war land … 2,100 29,318 Vacated holdings … 2,750 31,702