§ 30. Mr. JAMES HOGGEasked the Secretary for Scotland whether the great majority of applicants for small holdings, many of whom applied twelve and fourteen months ago, have not yet received any definite answer to their applications; and whether he is aware that the delay in coming to a decision in individual cases is causing a feeling of uneasiness as to the ultimate success of the Act among those whom it was designed to assist?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe Report of the Board of Agriculture clearly points out the reasons why progress in obtaining land was inevitably slow at the beginning of the working of the Act, and that undoubtedly has created a feeling of impatience among applicants with whose cases it has not yet been possible to deal. I am in communication with the Treasury as to an increase of staff for dealing with the applications and securing suitable land.
§ Mr. HOGGEAre we to understand that the present staff of the Board of Agriculture, which was nominated in order to deal with the operation of the Act, is to be considered sufficient to deal with the enormous crop of applications which are still waiting to be dealt with at the Board of Agriculture?
Mr. McKINNON WOODIf my hon. Friend had done me the honour to listen to my answer he would have seen that I was asking the Treasury for an increase of staff, which is surely an admission that the present staff is not sufficient.
§ Mr. MORTONDoes the right hon. Gentleman think the people of Scotland have been treated fairly?
§ Mr. MORTONWe will raise it on the Estimates.
§ 31. Mr. JAMES HOGGEasked the Secretary for Scotland whether, in view of 1415 his statement that the successful establishment of small holdings will form the best advertisement of the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act, the Board of Agriculture for Scotland have prepared a definite scheme for the establishment of land banks and co-operation, both of which have been such a valuable adjunct to the success of the progressive agricultural movement in Ireland, Germany, Italy, Holland, India, and Egypt?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe Board of Agriculture are doing their best to encourage schemes of the nature referred to by my hon. Friend, of which they appreciate the value. The Development Commissioners have made a Grant to assist co-operation, and I am informed that there are ninety-six co-operative societies affiliated to the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society.
Mr. McKINNON WOODYes, Sir, the matter is also being considered by another society—the Scottish Smallholders' Association.
§ 32. Mr. HOGGEasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he can state the number of applications received for small holdings in Scotland in each month from 1st April, 1912, to 31st May, 1913; and the total number of applications received during that period from the crofting and the non-crofting counties, respectively?
Mr. McKINNON WOODAs the answer will contain a large number of figures I will circulate it with the Votes. The tables are made out in quarterly periods, but I will, in addition, give the figures for the period from 31st March to 31st May. The total number for the crofting counties is 6,006 and for non-crofting counties 824.