HC Deb 27 February 1970 vol 796 c421W
Mr. Scott

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will list the properties and land owned, leased or rented by his Department, the use to which each property or piece of land is put and whether it is at present occupied or unoccupied.

Mr. Mackie

The following is a list of land owned or leased by my Department at 1st April, 1969, occupied for agricultural purposes:

acres
Land held by the Minister for the purpose of statutory smallholdings:
(i) 3 Farm Settlements 7,183
(ii) 11 Estates managed by the Land Settlement Association Ltd. 4,429
Orchards managed by the Land Settlement Association Ltd. 903
Land originally derelict and in multiple ownership, requisition for war-time food production and subsequently acquired under Section 85 of the Agriculture Act, 1947 (now in 51 holdings) 3,777
Agricultural residues of acquisitions by Forestry Commission, purchased out of Forestry Fund (79 holdings) 29,855
Ex—L.S.A. Estates (76 holdings) 907
Ex-Farm Settlement (6 holdings) 93
Laxton Estate acquired under Section 82 of the Agriculture Act, 1947 (24 holdings) 1,772
Other land acquired under Sections 82/85 of the Agriculture Act, 1947 (34 holdings) 2,133
Other land acquired by the Minister (3 holdings) 162
Experimental Husbandry Farms (13) 12,696
Experimental Horticulture Stations (11) 1,273

This list excludes the Royal Botanical Gardens and offices, domestic properties and laboratories used for the Department's food, fisheries, veterinary, etc., services throughout England and Wales, for which no central register exists.

"Occupied" land includes land let to tenants and land occupied by the Department or its agents for the purposes of smallholdings, experimental farming and horticulture—including roads, woodland and small areas of incidental ancillary land.