§ MR. WEIR (ROSS and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that 330 crofters and cottars in the parish of Uig, Island of Lewis, Rosshire, have called the attention of the Government to the fact that more than one third of the inhabitants of the townships in which they reside are cottars or squatters without land, and point out that crofts of a greater rental than £5 yearly would aggravate the evil; and, seeing that they urge that a clause should either be inserted in the Small Landholders (Scotland) Bill, or a separate measure passed, whereby available land may be divided into small lots in those districts in which squatters at present constitute a burden, will he state what action he proposes to take in the matter.
§ MR. SINCLAIRI am aware that a petition to the above effect has been presented to the House of Commons. Powers are taken in the Small Landholders (Scotland) Bill which are designed to increase the number of small holdings of any size up to the limits contained in the Bill and to make these available to suitable tenants. That Bill has already been presented to the House of Commons this session and will shortly be proceeded with.