§ 36. Mr. LESLIEasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider the advisability of taking action to acquire deer forests in the Highlands, which were formerly cultivated lands, in order to establish national cattle ranches for the purpose of safeguarding food supplies in the event of a national crisis?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI have nothing to add to the answer which I gave on this subject to the hon. Member for the Mary-hill Division (Mr. Davidson) on the 8th instant.
§ Mr. LESLIEWould it not be wiser to graze cattle than to allow these forests to be used for deer and shooting purposes?
§ Mr. ELLIOTIf the hon. Member will take the cattle after they have been grazed I have no objection.
§ Sir EDMUND FINDLAYCan the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that he will not encourage employment on farms in Scotland until he has put the farms in Scotland on a satisfactory basis?
§ Mr. MATHERSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that his statement with regard to the acreage under deer forests in Scotland, 3,350,000 acres, is looked upon as a gross under-statement of the position, and that the deer are devastating something more like 6,000,000 acres?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI do not think that arises out of the question.