§ Mr. THORNEasked the Minister of Agriculture whether the statistical tables in the Report on Land Settlement in England and Wales, 1919 to 1924, have been brought up to date; how many of the 45,071 approved ex-service applicants for small holdings who were then awaiting settlement have been provided with land 3138W and how many were still awaiting settlement; the total number of men who had been provided with holdings since 18th December, 1918, who were still in occupation of the same or similar holdings; whether there is any county in England or Wales where all approved applicants, both ex-service and non-ex-service, have been duly provided with holdings they had applied for; and, if so, which county or counties?
§ Mr. N. BUXTONThe number 45,071 quoted in the question relates to the acreage. The number of applicants was given as 3,243. Returns distinguishing between ex-service and civilian applicants for small holdings have not been collected since 31st March, 1926, when there were 2,526 approved ex-service applicants still awaiting holdings. The total number of applicants (ex-service and civilian) who had been provided with holdings since 18th December, 1918, and were still in occupation, was 18,915. Since the passing of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1926, a further 3,237 applicants have been settled up to 31st December, 1929. At that date the total number of tenants in occupation of holdings provided by councils was 27,563, but this figure includes tenants of pre-War holdings which are not now shown separately in the returns. The counties of Northumberland, Rutland, the Soke of Peterborough and the East Riding of York had no outstanding applications on their lists on 31st December, 1929, but it does not follow that there is no further demand for small holdings in those counties.