19-0.] Replies to Questions in Parliament. 



1257 



Allotments. — In reply to questions by Sir K. Wood, the Parliamentary 

 Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture stated that the Minister had 

 power under Section 3 (i) of the Land Settle- 

 Replies to UuestioLS ment (Facilities) Act, 1919, up to 19th August, 

 in Parliament 1922, when he was satisfied that in any county 

 affecting Agriculture, the council were not providing land to be 

 leased to a parish council or a parish meeting 

 for the provision of allotments to such extent as in the opinion of the 

 Ministry was desirable, to acquire land for the purpose. In the case of 

 a borough council, other than a council of a county borough, an urban 

 district council, or a parish council or meeting, if the Minister was 

 satisfied after holding a local inquiry, that these councils and the County 

 Council had failed to fulfil their statutory obligations to provide land 

 for allotments, he might under Section 24 of the Smallholdings and 

 Allotments Act, 1908, as amended by the Land Settlement (Facilities) 

 Act, 1919 transfer the powers of the County Council to the Smallholdings 

 Commissioners of the Ministr37- in order that the allotments required 

 might be provided. Further, he was advised that there was no power 

 under the Smallholdings and Allotments Act, 1908, or the Land Settle- 

 ment (Facilities) Act, 191 9, for the Minister or a County Council to act 

 in default of the council of a county borough in regard to the provision 

 of allotments. He went on to state that the details of the constitution 

 of the Council of Agriculture for England, the Council of Agriculture 

 for V/alcs, and the Agricultural Advisory Committee of En^'iand and 

 Wales had not yet been finally settled. In the model scheme for the 

 constitution of a County Agricultural Committee, recently issued to all 

 County Councils, the}^ were recommended to include on the committee 

 representatives of allotment societies. If, in the case of any county, 

 the interests of allotment holders did not appear to be sufficiently 

 represented among the members appointed by the County Council, the 

 Minister would endeavour to secure that adequate representation was 

 given to such interests among the members of the committee, which he 

 himself was empowered to give. (19th February, 1920.) 



Agricultural Supplies to make th9 Uriit©:! KingrdDm Salf-Suppartlng. 



— In reply to a question by Mr. Lambert, the Parliamentary Secretary 

 to the Ministry of Agriculture stated that the acreage in the 

 United Kingdom under wheat, barley, and oats , respectively, in 1919, 

 was :— 



Acres. 



Wheat . . . . . . . . 2,370,000 



Barley .. .. .. .. 1,870,000 



Oats . . . . . . . . . . 5,117,000 



I To render the United Kingdom self-supporting in cereals (excluding 

 maize and other cereals not usually grown in this country) it was es- 

 timated that the area under the above cereals would have to be increased 

 by about 10,700,000 acres, assuming average crops and a consnm^ption 

 (including seed and tail corn) at the level reached in 1919. 



The number of cattle, sheep, and pigs in the United Kingdom in 

 1 91 9 was ; — : 



Cattle .. .. 12,454,000 



Sheep . . . . . . . . 25,048,000 



Pigs .. .. .. .. .. 2,914,000 



