HC Deb 10 May 1939 vol 347 cc499-500W
Sir W. Jenkins

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider the advisability of granting to Glamorgan the right to erect and establish a farm institute in the county; and will he state the number of agricultural workers in Glamorgan in 1919, 1926, 1930, 1935, 1938, and latest date in 1939?

Sir R. Dorman-Smith

I regret that in existing financial circumstances I am unable to authorise expenditure on the erection of a farm institute for grant-aid under the Ministry's educational grant regulations. As regards the second part of the question, I regret that information is not available for 1919, but the number of workers (excluding occupiers, then wives and domestic servants) employed on agricultural holdings in Glamorgan in 1921 was 6,374. The corresponding figures for 1926, 1930, 1935 and 1938 are respectively 5,840, 5,698, 5,004 and 4,274. No figures are yet available for 1939.

Sir W. Jenkins

asked the Minister of Agriculture what number of farm institutes and county demonstration farms have been established in each year from 1931; in what counties in England, Scotland, and Wales, separately; what has been the expenditure in each year up to date; and what expenditure is contemplated during the current financial year?

Sir R. Dorman-Smith

No new farm institutes or county demonstration farms were established in the years 1931 to 1935 with the aid of Government funds.

The following schemes have since been approved as being eligible for grant-aid under the Ministry's regulations for grant in aid of agricultural education in England and Wales:

1935–36. £
Yorkshire Farm Institute 85,000
1936–37.
Essex Institute farm purchase. 25,000
Durham Farm Institute 59,000
Bucks Demonstration farm purchase. 8,000
1937–38.
Bucks Demonstration farm extension. 2,900
Essex Farm Institute 100,000
1939–39
Yorkshire Farm Institute 15,000
(additional.)

In each case a loan is raised by the local authority concerned on which charges are paid over a period of years. These charges are aided by the Ministry. Approval has been given to no new scheme of the kind in the current financial years. There are no farm institutes or county demonstration farms in Scotland.