§ MR. GINNELLTo ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will state the quantity of land, in statute acres, acquired by the Congested Districts Board for Scotland and by the Crofters Commission from the formation of those bodies down to the date of their last Reports; the number of holdings enlarged, improved, or enhanced, and the number of new holdings formed there from; and the quantity of this land, if any, remaining undistributed at the date mentioned; also similar information, so far as available, regarding land not acquired by those bodies but distributed with their financial or other help or co-operation.
§ (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) The Crofters Commission have no power under the Act to purchase or otherwise acquire land or to form now holdings, but they are authorised, under Sections 11,12, and 13, to assign land on application made in enlargement of existing crofters' holdings. In carrying out these provisions, they have assigned53,187 acres, in enlargement of 1,352 crofters' holdings from the passing of the Act in 1886 to 31st December, 1900. The quantity of land in statute acres purchased by the Congested Districts Board is 80,476 acres, of which a little over 20,000 acres of farm land are undistributed at this date. The number of holdings enlarged, improved, or enhanced on these properties up to this date is 222. The number of new holdings formed there from up to this date is eighty-eight. On lands which still belong to other proprietors 360 new holdings have been formed with the help of the Board, and enlargements have, with their help, been given to 237 tenants of these proprietors. The quantity of land involved in the formation of these new holdings and enlargements is about 37,000 acres.