Mr. W. Joseph Stewartasked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of acres of land that have been purchased in Durham for land settlement schemes; the amount paid per acre; the number of families placed in full-time holdings; and the total cost of each placing up to the most recent date?
§ Mr. E. Brown:I presume the hon. Member is referring to land settlement schemes assisted by the Commissioner for the Special Areas. In County Durham these are undertaken by the county council with assistance from the Special Areas Fund. Under the arrangements made with the Commissioner the area of land purchased by the county council for residential land settlement schemes for unemployed men is 1,415 acres; the average price per acre is £28 10s.; the number of families to be settled on this area is 211, and the number actually placed to date is 124. The total initial cost per holding is about £1,100, of which part is recoverable from the settlers by way of rents and repayments over a period of years of a proportion of the working capital provided.