§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEasked the Minister of Agriculture how many unemployed persons have been set to work on land drainage schemes as the result of the respective grants made by his Department to statutory drainage authorities and county councils for approved schemes designed to improve agricultural land and at the same time to alleviate unemployment, and to owners of agricultural land through county agricultural committees for approved schemes providing for the absorption of transferred labour?
§ Dr. ADDISONSince the 17th December, 1928, when a new programme of State-aided land drainage schemes, specifically for the relief of unemployment, was inaugurated, work has been provided equivalent in the aggregate to 1381W 1,261 man years. The hon. and gallant Member will appreciate, however, that the schemes which are now being aided are for the most part small schemes lasting for a few months. The number of men actually at work on schemes during the month of February was 1,377. As regards field drainage, water supply and claying schemes submitted by owners of agricultural land through county agricultural committees; since August, 1929, the date of initiation, the schemes approved to date have provided work estimated to amount to the equivalent of 800 man years in the aggregate. No figures are available showing the proportion of this total which represents transferred labour.