§ Mr. DEANasked the Minister of Agriculture what is the amount of agricultural land in the occupation of farmers occupying farms of over 300 acres in extent; what is the amount of agricultural land held by farmers who farm 150 acres or over; what is the number of farmers in each case; and will he give the figures for
— Above 300 acres. Above 150 acres. Number. Acreage of crops and grass. Number. Acreage of crops and grass. Acres. Acres. England … … 12,535 5,796,951 45,050 12,630,486 England and Wales … … 12,861 5,921,076 48,342 13,341,609 Great Britain … … 15,328 7,007,405 57,793 15,876,513 NOTE.—The figures for England and Wales relate to 1924 and those for Scotland to 1925.
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— Above 300 acres. Above 150 acres. Number. Acreage of crops and grass. Number. Acreage of crops and grass. Acres. Acres. England … … 12,535 5,796,951 45,050 12,630,486 England and Wales … … 12,861 5,921,076 48,342 13,341,609 Great Britain … … 15,328 7,007,405 57,793 15,876,513 NOTE.—The figures for England and Wales relate to 1924 and those for Scotland to 1925. England, for England and Wales, and for England, Wales and Scotland, respectively?
Mr. GUINNESSThe number of farmers occupying certain areas of land is not available, but the number of agricultural holdings of over 300 acres and over 150 acres respectively, with the area of such holdings, in England, England and Wales and Great Britain, is returned as follows:
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Mr. FOOT MITCHELLasked the. Minister of Agriculture the numbers of farmers in this country farming 50, 100, 200 and 300 acres, or under, respectively; and, as regards farmers farming 50 acres or under, whether he can state how many of these have been placed On the land by county councils and in connection with any ex-service men's scheme?
Mr. GUINNESSNo statistics are available of the number of -farmers farming holdings of different sizes, but the number of agricultural holdings of various sizes in England and Wales, as recorded in the Agricultural Returns for 1925, was as follows:
No. Above 1 and not exceeding 50 acres 264,787 Above 50 and not exceeding 100 acres 60,931 Above 100 and not exceeding 150 acres 31,875 Above 150 and not exceeding 300 acres 35,411 Above 300 acres 12,704 The figures for holdings not exceeding 50 acres include many residential properties and accommodation 'fields not occupied by smallholders. I am not satisfied that the Statistics relating to holdings below 20 acres are altogether reliable, as it is difficult to ensure that 2386W the occupiers of all these small areas make returns.
The approximate number of holdings not exceeding 50 acres provided by county councils, county borough councils and the Ministry, and included in the above figures, is 30,200.