§ 14. Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health the number of smallholders who have applied to the Land Courts for revaluation of their buildings, and the new valuations fixed, showing the alterations made by the Court?
§ Captain ELLIOT (Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health, Scotland)The number of smallholders who have lodged such applications with the Land Court is 79. I am not in a position at present to give the information asked for in the latter part of the question, but I will inform the hon. and learned Member as soon as I am in a position to do so.
§ Mr. MILLARIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman not in a position to tell us what steps the Land Courts have taken in one direction or the other?
§ Captain ELLIOTI can give the amount by which the capital sum has been written down, but I am not in a position to tell what is more important, the amount by which the annual payments have been reduced.
§ Mr. MILLARWhen will the hon. and gallant Gentleman be in a position to give us that information?
§ Captain ELLIOTI am afraid I cannot say. Perhaps the hon. Member will put down a question.
§ Mr. MILLARI will put down a question next week.
§ 15. Mr. MILLARasked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health the number of small holdings constituted by the Board of Agriculture for Scotand on land acquired by the Forestry Commissioners?
§ Captain ELLIOTNo holdings have been constituted by the Board on lands actually acquired by the Forestry Commission, but I think the hon. and gallant Member's question may be directed to ascertaining the number of holdings formed on joint schemes of land settlement and afforestation. On such schemes entry has already been given to 40 new holdings and 11 enlargements.
§ Mr. MILLARDo I understand that land acquired by the Forestry Commissioners has not been disposed of by the Board of Agriculture for small holdings?
§ Captain ELLIOTNo holdings have been constituted by the Board on land acquired by the Forestry Commissioners.
§ Mr. MILLARWas it not understood that land acquired by the Forestry Commissioners was to be handed over to the Board for the purposes of settlement and why was that not done?
§ Captain ELLIOTIt is in the discretion of the Forestry Commissioners to hand over land. The question should more properly be addressed to the Forestry Commissioners.
§ 17. Mr. MACPHERSONasked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health when it is proposed to start the houses and steadings on holdings 6 and 7 on Pitcalnie farm, Nigg, Ross-shire; whether he is aware that the holders put down their crops this year and have no place to store them when they are harvested; and will he take immediate steps to begin and complete the buildings on those holdings and the other holdings at Pitcalnie?
§ Captain ELLIOTAfter some delay, for which one of the holders is responsible, tenders are now being invited for adaptation of the existing buildings allocated to holdings Nos. 6 and 7. In the meantime, storage accommodation for these holdings is available in the existing steading. As regards the other holdings at Pitcalnie, in one case the buildings are complete: in two others new buildings are not required. In two others they will be undertaken by the holders at their convenience and in the remaining case the dwelling-house has been completed and tenders for the steading are being examined.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONWill the hon. and gallant Gentleman ask the Board of Agriculture to expedite the consideration of my request to have these buildings continued at once?
§ Captain ELLIOTYes. I am sure that the Board will examine this matter sympathetically. I am ready to discuss it with my right hon. Friend. I think that the delay has been due to a certain friction between one of the holders and the Board.