§ 79. Dr. DONALD MURRAYasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he can state the number of applications by leaseholders to be declared statutory smallholders under the Scottish Smallholders Act, 1911, received during the years 1914 to 1917, inclusive, and the number rejected on the ground that they were not lodged within the period prescribed by the Act; and whether, in view of the anxiety of so many leaseholders to become statutory smallholders, he will introduce legislation at an early date with a view to enabling leaseholders to make such application at any time during the currency of the lease?
§ Mr. MUNROThe number of such applications in the years mentioned was twenty-eight. Of these, I am informed that seven were dismissed as premature, where a long period of tenancy had still to run. The remainder, where short periods of tenancy had to run, were held over for disposal at the expiry of the lease. There is no period prescribed by the Act, as my hon. Friend suggests. The rules of the Land Court explicitly authorise the lodging of such applications during the currency of the lease.