Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the Lord Advocate if he can state the legal expenses incurred by the prosecution and imprisonment of the cottars at Vatersay, and the legal expenses incurred in the recent prosecution at the Lews, and approximately the expense of evicting the 46 families from Foula should they decline to pay further rent under existing conditions, and in consequence be prosecuted and evicted?
§ Mr. URENo, Sir; I am unable to state what the amount of the expenses was in either of the cases to which my hon. Friend refers. I must remind him that both prosecutions were at the instance of private individuals. It would be impossible to make any forecast of the expense of the hypothetical eviction proceedings referred to in the question, which I earnestly hope and confidently believe will never take place.
§ Mr. H. A. WATTDoes the Secretary for Scotland now realise that it is more economical in these cases to intervene at an earlier than a later stage where there is a real grievance?
§ Mr. UREThe Secretary for Scotland never intervenes between landlord and tenant in regard to these questions.