§ MR. COCHRANE (Ayrshire, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland, what are the number of holdings within the crofting area to which the Crofters Acts apply; the number of crofters who have had fair rents fixed; the number of crofters who have not availed themselves of the Acts; and the number of crofters who, after having had their rents fixed for a term of years, have subsequently preferred to return to ordinary relations with their landlords.
§ MR. SINCLAIR(1) The exact number of holdings to which the Crofters' Holdings Acts apply cannot be stated, but according to the latest return (No. 127 of 1907) the number of occupiers of farms in the crofting counties entered at a rental of not exceeding £30 is 28,577. (2) The number of crofters who have had fair rents fixed is 15,156, exclusive of cases of re-valuation of holdings. (3) There is no information available as to 1331 the number of crofters who, while enjoying the statutory tenure conferred by the Act, have not thought it necessary to apply to have a fair rent fixed by the Crofters Commission; (4) There are no statistics available as to the number of crofters who have renounced the statutory tenure; it is understood that there are some instances where crofters have done so on removing to more suitable holdings, or on receiving favourable treatment at the hands of the landlord: but these cases are believed to be few in number.