72. Mr. Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the recommendations of the recent Royal Commission on the economic or agricultural development of Scotland were put into effect?
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Wedderburn)I am not aware of any recent Royal Commission on the subject.
Mr. DavidsonI have asked in my question about the last Royal Commission appointed to consider the economic and agricultural development of Scotland, and I want to know what recommendations of the Royal Commission were put into operation?
Mr. WedderburnThe hon. Member's question does not say "the last Royal Commission" but "the recent Royal Commission." The last Royal Commission on the economic and agricultural development of Scotland was in 1892, and I understand that its proposals were not acceptable to Mr. Gladstone.
Mr. DavidsonAm I to take it that that was the Royal Commission to which the Prime Minister referred? The Under-Secretary has told us that there has been a reduction in agricultural production in Scotland and that there are less acres under cultivation—
Mr. DavidsonThe Under-Secretary in his reply indicated that there was a reduction of 2,000 people engaged in agriculture in Scotland, and I was asking him in view of these facts whether a new Royal Commission was to be set up.