Agricultural Land (Utilisation) Act 1931

13 Power of Minister to provide allotments not exceeding one acre for unemployed persons

(1) The Minister shall have power, without prejudice to the powers and duties of the council of any borough, urban district, or parish, or of any county council acting in default of such a council as aforesaid, to provide allotments not exceeding one acre in extent for unemployed persons, and for that purpose the Minister shall have the like powers as may be exercised by any such council with respect to allotments under the Small Holdings and Allotments Acts, and the provisions of those Acts relating to the acquisition, use or disposal of land by any such council and to allotments provided by any such council (except subsections (1) and (2) of section sixteen of the [12 & 13 Geo. 5. c. 51.] Allotments Act, 1922, and section four of the [15 & 16 Geo. 5. c. 61.] Allotments Act, 1925), shall apply with the necessary adaptations to the acquisition, use and disposal of land by the Minister and to allotments provided by him under this section, but subject to the modifications that the Minister may sell or let for other purposes any land acquired by him for allotments which is in his opinion not needed for the purposes of allotments, or exchange any such land for land more suitable for allotments, and may pay or receive money for equality of exchange, and section thirty-two of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, and section eight of the Allotments Act, 1925, shall not apply with respect to any such land:

Provided that, if, after a local inquiry has been held in accordance with the said provisions with respect to any order whereby the Minister proposes to acquire land compulsorily, any objection to the order which has been presented is not withdrawn, the order shall not be confirmed except by means of a provisional order made by the Minister and confirmed by Parliament, and for that purpose the Minister may submit a Bill to Parliament for the confirmation of any such provisional order.

(2) The powers conferred on the Minister by the last foregoing subsection shall include power to provide allotment gardens for persons who are not in full-time employment as well as for those who are wholly unemployed.

(3) Where the Minister determines to exercise in any borough, urban district, or parish the powers conferred by this section, he shall give notice of his determination to the council thereof.

(4) Every such council as aforesaid shall furnish to the Minister such information as he may require for the purposes of this section.

(5) Any of the powers and duties conferred on the Minister by this section, except the power of acquiring land or of disposing of it otherwise than for use as allotments, may, by arrangement between him and the council of any county, or of any borough, urban district or parish, or with any society having as its object or one of its objects the provision or the profitable working of allotments, be exercised and performed by the council or society as agents for the Minister.