§ 20. Major Sir ARCHIBALD SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Report of the arbiter in the Erribol sheep stock valuation has yet been received; and, if so, what is the amount of the valuation to be paid by the purchaser for the sheep stock?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Sir John Gilmour)The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The amount declared by the arbiter to be the value of the sheep stock to be taken over by the purchaser is £9,388 11s.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRDoes the right hon. Gentleman mean that for a sheep stock, 2911 for which his Department seven years ago paid over £43,000, he has now received only a. little over £9,000?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe price of sheep has not remained stationary. It has dropped by 50 per cent during that period. Further than that, the sheep actually taken over by the present purchaser are not the total sheep stock of the property, nor do they represent the total number bought originally.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRDo I understand from the right hon. Gentleman's figures that the price of sheep has fallen only 50 per cent., whereas the value received for this farm shows a falling of 500 per cent. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"] Well, a fall from £43,000 to £9,000, and is the right hon. Gentleman receiving the value for the sheep which ought to be received according to the usual practice?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAs regards the question of the value of the sheep falling by 50 per cent., probably I am understating the fall in the value.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRIn view of these facts, does not the right hon. Gentleman see that it is essential that full information should be afforded to the House, and that we should have the minutes of reference to the arbiter and the arbiter's Report as well, so as to understand the meaning of the extraordinary loss which has been made in this transaction by the right hon. Gentleman's Department?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must not make a speech.
§ 23. Mr. STEPHENasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the cost of the Erribof Estate, Sutherland, the cost of the stock taken over with the estate, the price at which the estate was sold, and the stock disposed of, respectively, when the decision was taken that the estate was unsuitable for small holdings?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAs regards the first three parts of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave on the subject on the 11th and 16th November. With regard to the last part, I would refer him to the reply which I have given to-day to the hon. and gallant Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Sir A. Sinclair), of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Mr. STEPHENIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a tremendous amount of dissatisfaction exists in connection with the disposal of this estate and stock; and will he consider setting up a Select Committee of this House to inquire into the matter?
§ Sir J. GILMOURNo, Sir; certainly not.
§ Mr. MAXTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this transaction is dragging the Government into even greater contempt in Scotland?
Sir HARRY BRITTA INWould it not be better if all transactions of this kind were left to private enterprise?
§ Mr. JOHNSTONArising out of the original reply, can the right hon. Gentleman now say when he is prepared to place the arbiter's Report on the Table of the House.
§ Sir J. GILMOURI think it would be perfectly intolerable if every transaction in which the Board of Agriculture happens to be involved were to be treated in that way. I have answered every kind of question on the subject, have given the fullest information to the House and, as I have said, on the Scottish Estimates there will be an opportunity of discussing the subject further.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONDid not the right hon. Gentleman promise to lay the arbiter's report on the Table when he received it; and as he has now received it, what reason is there for refusing to give the House this information?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI have no recollection of any promise to lay the arbiter's report on the table, and, as I say, I think it would be most undesirable if we were to deal with every transaction of this kind in this way.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRHaving regard to the very serious and substantial loss of money involved in this transaction, cannot the right hon. Gentleman make any representation to the arbiter, as is often done in such circumstances, asking him to reconsider his award?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThis was a business transaction, and the matter was referred to the arbiter by agreement between the two parties, and his arbitration is final.