§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Lord Advocate, as representing the Secretary for Scotland, whether he is aware that the Report of the Crofters' Commission recently issued shows that in 1899 the Commission visited the Culloden estate at Ferintosh, Ross-shire, and reduced the rental of a crofter residing at Bogbuie, Urquhart, from £16 10s. to £11 10s., and cancelled arrears of rent to the extent of £135 15s. out of £165 15s. And, seeing that an adjoining crofter leaseholder on the same estate holding a croft of similar extent is still rented at £16, and has arrears to the extent of £149 7s. 6d., and that there are similar cases in the crofting counties of Scotland, will he consider the expediency of extending the benefits of the Crofters Act to all small tenants holding under lease; and, if not, will he say what steps he proposes to take to give equal rights to all crofter tenants.
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. A. GRAHAM MURRAY, Buteshire)I am aware of the facts stated in the first paragraph of the hon. Member's question. The information in my possession does not enable me to accept either the analogy of the illustration or the assumption contained in the first portion of the second paragraph; they are not borne out by the inquiry, made through the Scottish Office, or the information supplied by the Crofters' Commission. The Secretary for Scotland does not propose to bring in legislation on the subject.
§ * MR. A. GRAHAM MURRAYNo, Sir; I have answered the question.