§ 11. Major Sir ARCHIBALD SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now considered the note of the Scottish Land Court on the conditions of let by which the Watten tenants are bound to the Scottish Board of Agriculture, and the strong terms in which they recommended that the Board should not enforce the obligations contained in Clause 4; and whether this recommendation will be acted upon?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Major Elliot)My 822 right hon. Friend has now fully considered the note in question arid remains of the opinion expressed in the reply which he gave on the 3rd May, that the obligation imposed on the holders by the Clause referred to is not an unreasonable one. In the circumstances, he is not prepared to authorise the Board to accept the Land Court's recommendation.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Land Court expressed the opinion that the smallholders, in considering Clause 4, along with Clause 6, might very well have been misled and that they very strongly recommended to the Board that they should not enforce the provisions of this particular Clause? Surely the right hon. Gentleman is not going to go against the very strongly expressed view of the Land Court on this point?
§ Major ELLIOTMy right hon. Friend has to consider the financial interests of the country as a whole. The Land Court may express the opinion, but this House has to find the money to carry it out.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODSurely it is more important to get men and women on the land than to look after the financial interests of the country?
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRDoes the hon. Gentleman appreciate that, if he gives effect to the recommendation of the Land Court, it will only bring the practice on this estate into line with the general practice on all privately-owned estates in Scotland?
§ Major ELLIOTThat is a matter of dispute. Certainly, the obligation is not an onerous one. It merely refers to the cutting of certain hedges.