§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that the deer forest area in the Highland crofting counties is being extended; and in view of the fact that the Royal Commission (Highlands and Islands, 1892) scheduled 1,782,785 acres of land as suitable for occupation by the people, will he state when he proposes to introduce the legislation on the subject.
§ MR. HARMSWORTH (Caithnessshire)I beg at the same time to ask why no legislation has been introduced this session dealing with the deer forests and other lands referred to by the Highlands and Islands Commission, 1892.
§ * MR BIGNOLD (Wick Burghs)Before those Questions are answered, I wish to ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that a Royal Commission on Deer Forests in the Highlands and Islands reported that for thirty years, throughout the whole of Scotland, there was but one single case of the eviction of a human being for the purpose of extending deer forests.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI believe what my hon. friend has said is a statement of the fact. As regards the Question on the Paper, I have to say that, if deer forests in the Highlands have been extended at all, that extension has not been on any great scale, and in no case 653 at the cost of the crofter population. I do not, therefore, under the circumstances, propose to bring legislation before the House.
§ MR. WEIRIn consequence of this unsatisfactory reply, and the apparent want of knowledge shown by the right hon. Gentleman, I shall put another Question to him and furnish him with facts.