HC Deb 04 February 1913 vol 47 cc1974-5
29. Mr. HOGGE

asked how many applicants there are for holdings of over twenty-five acres, according to counties, under the Smallholders (Scotland) Act?

Mr. McKINNON WOOD

I regret I do not see my way to ask the Board of Agriculture to spend the considerable time which would be necessary to work out these figures, in view of the pressure of work upon their staff, and also in view of the fact that, on account of the form of many of the applications, it would not be possible to give exactly the information desired. I have recently given my hon. Friend a number of statistics and further information will be contained in the Report now in preparation.

Mr. HOGGE

Will the Return about to be issued contain that information?

Mr. McKINNON WOOD

Not precisely in that form, for the reason I have given, that a great many of the applicants do not state the acreage.

MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINE

Why is there such a great difficulty in giving that Return now, when the right hon. Gentleman is able to give a Return in a very short time to supplement another question he had to deal with not long ago?

Mr. McKINNON WOOD

I have just given the reason in answer to the question put to me.

Mr. MACPHERSON

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the county of Ross-shire over 50,000 acres have been applied for and the Board of Agriculture so far have not acquired a single acre?

Mr. McKINNON WOOD

That is possible, but to obtain suitable land for a suitable purpose is not a thing you can do in a few weeks.