§ 14. Sir A. SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether there has been any alteration in the Government's land drainage policy, which was announced in the Government's White Paper on Agricultural Policy [Command Paper 2581], both as regards the amount of money to be made available during the five-year period therein contemplated and the free choice of labour under grant-aided schemes; and whether he will make a statement explaining the present intentions of the Government?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThere is no change except as regards the period over which the grants are to be made. I explained the position in this respect in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member on 24th July last. In his reference to the free choice of labour the hon. Member is perhaps thinking of the additional drainage scheme to alleviate unemployment, which was announced last month. It provides for grants being made at a higher rate for the assistance of agricultural drainage and other works carried out by means of labour obtained through the Employment Exchanges and composed in part of unemployed persons transferred from depressed areas. This scheme is referred to in the reply given by the Minister of Labour on 24th ultimo to the question by the hon. Member for Leith (Mr. E. Brown).
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRCannot the higher rates available for this scheme be made available also for schemes on which the unemployed in Wick—where one man in seven is out of work—could be employed?
§ Sir J. GILMOURNo, Sir, not under the scheme.