§ 3. Mr. McKinlayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the sale of 40,000 acres of the lands of Lochaber; and the name of the purchaser?
Mr. JohnstonYes, Sir. I am informed that the purchaser is Mr. H. J. Kennaway, a land agent in Edinburgh. But no disposition has yet reached the Sasines Office for recording.
§ Mr. McKinlayIs it a tribute to the work of the 51st Highland Division that these vulgar sales should take place at a time like this?
Mr. J. J. DavidsonDo these purchases, according to my right hon. Friend's knowledge, precede any move for the setting-up of another power scheme, such as that which has been rejected three times in this House already?
§ Mr. KirkwoodHas not the time arrived for the Secretary of State for Scotland to step in and take over this land? This matter is very interesting to Scotland at the moment, and the Secretary of State knows it. I want an answer.
Mr. JohnstonThe Question on the Order Paper is not whether this land is worth purchasing by the State or not. I cannot say whether it is.
§ Mr. KirkwoodAll land is worth purchasing by the State.
§ 4. Mr. Malcolm MacMillanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what acre age of Scottish land has been sold since September, 1939; the total amount paid for it; and what estates have changed ownership more than once during that period?
Mr. JohnstonInformation of the kind desired by the hon. Member could only be obtained after many days' search in the General Register of Sasines; but it would be incomplete. In many cases the disposition in favour of a purchaser would not disclose the acreage disponed and in 635 most cases the disposition would not contain a map from which acreage could be calculated. Further, there will be many cases of sale where dispositions have not yet been recorded; and others where no record is to be made, the transactions resting on correspondence or contracts of sale, or unrecorded dispositions.
Mr. DavidsonIs it not a fact that all such land sales since the war started have required the sanction of the Secretary of State for Scotland, or must be made with his full knowledge? Has my right hon. Friend any powers to object to such sales taking place?
Mr. DavidsonCan he explain how it is, then, that the Government state that they have passed legislation dealing with the taking-over of both labour and private property?
§ Mr. SloanSurely the right hon. Gentleman is able to answer as to the amount of land that has changed hands more than once since the beginning of the war?
§ 5. Mr. Malcolm MacMillanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any special measures are being taken to prevent speculative dealing in such land in Scotland as is likely to be affected by the reconstruction proposals of the reports of the Council of ex-Secretaries of State, with special regard to those areas in which hydro-electrical development is anticipated; and whether he will make a statement?
Mr. JohnstonThe Interim Report of the Uthwatt Committee recommended that, to obviate increases in the cost of land required for public purposes due to speculative dealings, the compensation payable in public acquisition or control of land should not exceed sums based on the standard of values at 31st March, 1939. The Government have already announced that they accept this principle and will in due course introduce legislation to give effect to it.
§ Mr. MacMillanIs the right hon. Gentleman quite convinced that no danger can arise of speculation in land values, after 636 the hint we had the other day in a speech by an ex-Secretary of State for Scotland?
§ Mr. McKinlayIs my right hon. Friend satisfied that the titles are in order, and would he refer to his own "Noble Families"?
Mr. JohnstonThe point is that the Sasines Office do not require to get all transactions to priority dispositions recorded there.