§ 37. Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the nature of the proposals which have been agreed on following upon the conference held in Edinburgh in December, 1929, to carry into effect the recommendations contained in the report of the Scottish Deer Forest Commission, 1921?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Mr. Johnston)No definite proposals as to legislation were agreed upon at the conference held in December, 1929. In the light of the discussion at that conference tentative proposals were drawn up, on which the associations concerned were invited to express their views. These were received in due course and are before my right 788 hon. Friend. In view of the present legislative programme in which agriculture has a considerable share, he is not in a position to promise early legislation on the subject.
§ Mr. MILLARIs not an effort going to be made to secure agreement with regard to the proposals?
§ Mr. JOHNSTONYes, Sir. But my right hon. Friend is not in a position at the moment to promise early legislation.
§ Major McKENZIE WOODCannot the Under-Secretary give some hope that the recommendations of this committee, which it was said 10 years ago brooked no delay, will be put into force?
§ Mr. JOHNSTONThe question on the Paper is as to proposals which have been agreed on as a result of the conference held in Edinburgh in December, 1929.
§ 40. Mr. SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now considered the representations from the Blackface Sheep Breeders' Association complaining of damage caused by deer, especially on pastoral farms, owing to excessive stock of deer in the deer forests, the want of fencing in the forests, and the neglect of the owners of the forests to prevent deer straying; and whether he will now introduce legislation as recommended by the report of the Commission on Deer Forests, 1921, and the Game and Heather Burning Committee, 1922?
§ Mr. JOHNSTONThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the last part of the question I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of to-day to the hon. and learned Member for East Fife (Mr. Millar).
§ Mr. SCOTTWill the hon. Gentleman consider the extent of the damage which is daily going on, and the loss to the tenants, and does he not consider it a sufficiently urgent matter to demand legislation?
§ Mr. JOHNSTONYes, but the hon. Gentleman is aware that there is only a limited proportion of the time of Parliament which we can devote in any one year to questions relating to agriculture in Scotland.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODSeeing that it is the case, owing to the severe weather in 789 Scotland at the moment, that these deer are coming dawn to the crops, will the Secretary of State let it be known that if the crofters shoot the deer, they will be dealt with leniently?
§ Mr. JOHNSTONThe present position is that if deer stray on to another man's territory, it is the duty of the man who sees his crops being destroyed to deal with the deer.