§ MR. J. D. WHITEI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland, with reference to the land at Dalmuir acquired recently by the school board of the parish of Old Kilpatrick, in Dumbartonshire, as a site for a new school, what was the area of the land so purchased; when it was purchased; whether it was purchased under compulsory powers; what was the price paid for it; and what was taken as its annual value for rating at the time of the purchase; or, if that land formed part of a larger unit on the valuation roll, what was the area and what was taken as the annual value for rating of that unit at the time of the purchase, and by how much was that annual value reduced in consequence of the exclusion of the purchased portion.
§ MR. SINCLAIRThe Scottish Education Department have been in communication with the school board of Old Kilpatrick on the subject of the hon. Member's Question and have been sup plied by them with the following information:— The area of ground acquired by the school board is two acres, and was purchased from Mr. William Beardmore, shipbuilder, etc., as at 15th May, 1906, although the transaction was not completed until 22nd May of this year, when the now school was completed and when Mr. Beardmore took possession of the old school ground which he purchased from the board. The ground was not purchased under compulsory powers, although the choice of a site was almost 1183 entirely confined to the ground in question. The price paid was £1,200 per acre. The area of the field, including the site of the school, was 5. 778 acres. The gross rental as entered in the valuation roll of the whole field was £11 7s. 6d., and the annual value as defined by the Poor Law Acts for rating purposes was £3 10s. 10d. quoad the tenant and £9 3s. 9d. quoad the owner. The remaining portion of the field does not now appear in the valuation roll as the ground is in the market for building purposes.