§ Where, in pursuance of Sub-section (15) of section thirty-two of the Act of 1911, the Land Court authorise the resumption in whole or in part of the holding of a statutory small tenant, such tenant shall be entitled, in addition to the compensation specified in the said sub-section, to the like compensation for disturbance as would be payable under the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act, 1923, to a tenant to whom notice to quit, or notice of intention to resume part of the holding, as the case may be, is given.—(Mr. W. Adamson.)
§ Brought up, and read the First time.
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Mr. William Adamson)I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time."
It carries out an undertaking given in the Committee stage and secures that, where a landlord is authorised by the Land Court to resume in whole or in part the holding of a statutory small tenant, the statutory small tenant shall receive, in addition to compensation for improvements under the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1923, compensation for disturbance under that Act. It places the statutory small tenant more nearly in the position of a landholder whose holding is resumed. Under Section 2 of the Act of 1886 the landholder in that event gets adequate compensation either by a let of land of equivalent value or by a reduction in rent, or compensation in money or otherwise as the Land Court shall determine. This new Clause carries out an undertaking given in Committee.
§ Sir FREDERICK THOMSONI think we shall all consent to this new Clause. As the right hon. Gentleman has said, it puts a statutory small tenant, whose holding is resumed in whole or in part, in the same position as a landholder whose landlord has made a successful application to the Land Court for resumption. As the right hon. Gentleman has pointed out, under Section 2 of the Act of 1886, a landholder has rights to 1626 compensation for disturbance. This Clause also puts a statutory small tenant on the same footing as an ordinary agricultural tenant, who has received notice to quit or notice of intention to resume part of the holding.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI wish to express the satisfaction of the party that I represent and of myself at the attitude adopted by the Secretary of State for Scotland. This is a Clause which we pressed in the Standing Committee, and I am glad that the right hon. Gentleman has seen his way to implement the promise that he made. We are very anxious to make progress with this Bill to-day in the short time at our disposal, and as the Secretary of State has met us in at least seven or eight new Clauses, I hope that he will allow me on this, the first new Clause, to express the gratitude of my party and myself, and so save time on the other Clauses.
§ Clause added to the Bill.