§ 8. Sir ROBERT HAMILTONasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the average cost to the State of settling a smallholder on the land in Scotland (including enlargement of holdings) from 1912 to 1926?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Sir John Gilmour)Payments and receipts in connection with schemes of land settlement are spread over periods of years. The average cost per holder to the State could, therefore, only be estimated by an actuarial valuation of these sums. Such a calculation has not been made in respect of the period from 1912 to 1926. It would occupy much more time than has been available since notice of this question appeared. I may say, however, that a statement in respect of schemes carried out under the Land Settlement (Scotland) Act, 1919; was submitted by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland to the Public Accounts Committee in 1922, and was published in Appendix No. 34 of the Report of the Committee for that year.
§ Sir R. HAMILTONIs it not possible to arrive at a figure for the whole period that land settlement has been carried out in Scotland?
§ Sir J. GILMOURYes, Sir; I think that that might be possible, but it would take considerable time. I am prepared to consider whether I could get the information.
§ Sir R. HAMILTONCould I put down a question on the subject later?
§ Colonel WEDGWOODDoes it cost more or less to settle a man in Scotland than in Australia?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI could not answer that question without notice.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODWhat is the percentage of failures in land settlement in 648 Scotland, seeing that we have 60,000 waiting to emigrate out of Scotland?
§ Sir J. GILMOURObviously notice is required of that question.