§ MR. COCHRANE (Ayrshire, N.)I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether he still adheres to his statement that the average cost of fixing of fair rents by the Crofters' Commission was something like 1s. 6d. per case; and, if so, whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a Return showing how this figure was arrived at.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. ASQUITH, Fifeshire, E.)My statement was perfectly accurate. I referred in my speech to legal and not to administrative expenses, and I believe it to be quite correct to say that the legal expenses to crofters do not average more than 1s. 6d. a case. The hon. Member will find the matter fully explained in a speech delivered in this House on 30th April, 1907, by my right hon. and learned friend, the Lord Advocate.
§ *MR. COCHRANEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he did not refer to the expenditure of £3 or £4 in similar cases in Ireland and compared that with the 1s. 6d. paid in the case of the Crofters Commission? May I further ask whether his attention has been drawn to the statement made by the Secretary for, Scotland that the 95 average cost of fixing fair rents by the Crofters Commission was £4 11s. 4d., and not 1s. 6d.
§ MR. ASQUITHWhat I referred to was the legal and not the administrative expenditure.