§ MR. BIRRELL (Fife, W.)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention having been called to the injustice alleged to be done to the county of Fife in the allocation of the residue and equivalent grants without regard to the whole area of the county as settled by the Boundary Commissioners, he will propose to take steps to amend the allocation of the grant before the next distribution; or when he proposes to do so?
On the same subject, MR. BUCHANAN (Aberdeenshire, E.)had on the Paper the following Question: To ask the Lord Advocate whether, in view of complaints from several county councils in Scotland, the Secretary for Scotland will, before the next distribution of the residue and equivalent grants, take steps to have these grants distributed in accordance with the total valuations of the whole areas of the counties as settled by the Boundary Commissioners?
MR. GRAHAM MURRAYI will answer the honourable Member's Question and that of the honourable Member for East Aberdeenshire together. The Secretary for Scotland is unable, as advised, to allocate the grant referred to in the Question of the honourable Members otherwise than is done at present, without legislation.