§ Mr. RILEYasked the Minister of Agriculture the number and acreage of the small holdings now owned or rented by local public authorities and the State, respectively?
§ Mr. W. S. MORRISONFollowing is the information so far as England and Wales is concerned. For similar information in respect of Scotland, I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Number of Holdings. Total Area. Acres. Councils of Counties and County Boroughs. 29,071 459,103 Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. 612 7,837 Forestry Commission *1,660 (approx.) 21,860 Commissioners of Crown Lands. †323 †15,910 War Department 283 2,061 Air Ministry 8 96 * Includes 1,260 Forest Workers' Holdings (averaging 11 acres each). † Let direct to smallholders. In addition, the Commissioners lease about 6,500 acres of their property to various bodies for sub-letting in smallholdings and allotments. The number of such holdings is not known, but of the 6,500 acres, 994 are leased to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, on which are 85 of the holdings included in the numbers shown against that Department.