§ 30. Mr. MILLARasked the Under Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health the procedure adopted in the preparation of joint schemes for the provision of small holdings by the Board and the Forestry Commissioners on land acquired by the Commissioners, the number and acreage of the schemes which have been adjusted, the number of holdings so far provided, and the number of these schemes which had been framed before the setting up of the Forestry Commissioners?
§ Captain ELLIOTUnder Section 3 of the Forestry Act, 1919, the Forestry Commission consult the Board before acquiring land for afforestation and again before selling land not required for afforestation. Similarly under Section 6 of the Land Settlement (Scotland) Act, 1919, the Board consult the Forestry Commission before selling land not required for small holdings. Following these consultations both Departments consider whether and in what manner joint schemes can be developed. Five joint schemes have been adjusted with an acreage of 22,497 acres. The number of holdings so far provided and occupied is, as stated in the reply which I gave on the 3rd July, 40 new holdings and 11 enlargements. Of these one new holding is on lands managed by the Commission, the remainder are on lands sold, feued or leased by the Board to the Commission. In addition five new holdings and two enlargements will be formed on lands feued by the Board to the Commission and nine new holdings will be formed on lands feued to the Board by the Commission. None of the schemes can be said to have been adjusted before the constitution of the Forestry Commission though one was under consideration before then.