§ 24. Major Sir ARCHIBALD SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what price was received by the Board of Agriculture for the gimmer shotts belonging to the Erribol sheep stock; and what price was received for the same class of stock handed over at valuation?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE for SCOTLAND (Major Elliot)Sixty-three gimmer shotts were sold at 43s. per head and 14 at 30s. A separate valuation of the gimmers handed over to the purchaser was not made by the arbiter in his award.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRIs there any precedent whatever for a valuation in which gimmers are slumped in with ewes?
§ Major ELLIOTIf the hon. and gallant Member will put down a question, I will do my best to answer.
§ 25. Sir A. SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether from any source other than the eventual purchaser any inquiries or tentative offers for Erribol were received by the Board of Agriculture after the last exposure of the estate at public auction; and why, seeing that one farmer at least was prepared to offer for Erribol with a Martinmas entry, the conditions of roup were not altered accordingly and the subjects re-exposed to public sale on this altered basis?
§ Major ELLIOTSeveral inquiries were received by the Board after the last of the three exposures of the estate at public auction, but none of these disclosed a prospect that it would be more advantageous to re-expose the property at public auction than to accept the offer made by the eventual purchaser in the circumstances which my right hon. 734 Friend indicated in his reply to the hon. and gallant Member on the 17th November.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRIf there were several inquiries besides this one, which was eventually accepted, surely it is unprecedented that the estate should not be exposed at public auction, so as to allow those other people to make a bid?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Member is making a speech.
§ 52. Sir ROBERT HAMILTON(for Sir A. SINCLAIR) asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury at what amount the Erribol sheep stock is valued as at Whitsunday, 1926, in the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General so far as it relates to the trading account for the Erribol farm; and whether acclimatisation value is included in this valuation?
§ Major ELLIOTI have been asked to reply. The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General for the period covering Whitsunday, 1926, will not, I understand, be available for a considerable time.