§ Mr. MORTON (on behalf of Mr. Weir)asked the Lord Advocate whether the Secretary for Scotland is aware that the recently issued Report of the Poor Law Commission, Scotland, calls attention to the evidence of Dr. Ross, Poor Law medical officer and local medical officer of health for the parish of Barvas, island of Lewis, condemning the conditions under which the people live in the parish of Barvas; if he is aware that the Committee add that these conditions, as described by Dr. Ross, are corroborated by Dr. Dittmar, medical inspector for the Local Government Board for Scotland, and by Mr. Millar, one of the Board's general superintendents, and that members of the Committee, having themselves visited the outer islands, have found these conditions to prevail, not only in the parish of Barvas, but also in other parishes; and, seeing that local authorities are unable to cope with the difficulty for lack of means, will he consider the expediency of approaching the Treasury with a view to secure a grant such as will admit of these townships being placed in a suitable sanitary condition, especially bearing in mind that the Committee state that they are convinced that the problem in the Outer Hebrides is largely a public health problem, and that without outside pecuniary assistance it is scarcely possible that any adequate measures can be taken to improve the existing I conditions?
§ Mr. UREI am aware that the Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws contains paragraphs in the sense indicated by the lion. Member's question. As I have already indicated this subject is receiving the earnest consideration of the Government.