§ 29. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Secretary for Scotland, if he can give the figures showing the number of regular and casual male workers employed in agricul- 1013 tune in Scotland in the year 1908 and the figures for 1924 or the latest available date?
§ Sir J. GILMOURIn 1908, 119,000 regular male workers and 15,000 casual male workers were employed in agriculture in Scotland; the corresponding numbers for 1925 were 82,650 and 10,450. These figures do not include occupiers.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONCan the right hon. Gentleman give any explanation of the extraordinary fall in the number of persons regularly employed in agriculture in Scotland from 119,000 to 82,000?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI should not like to venture on an explanation of it in reply to a question.
§ Mr. PALINGIs not the explanation contained in the right hon. Gentleman's previous answer as to the decreased number of acres under cultivation? Is not the decrease in the number of men a direct result of that, and, in view of that, will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to bring this land under cultivation again, in order to find work for these people in their own country?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThis does not arise from the question.