THE EARL or CAMPERDOWNMy Lords, seeing the noble Earl the President of the Board of Agriculture in his place, I wish to ask him a question, of which I have given him private notice, with regard to a debate which took place in your Lordships' House some little time ago on the subject of sheep valuation. I wish to know whether the Law Officers of the Crown have yet given their opinion with regard to Clause 2, Subsection (3), of the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1906, upon which considerable doubt has arisen in the minds of the sheep farmers of Scotland; and, if they have done so, whether the noble Earl will communicate the substance of the opinion to the House.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (Earl CARRINGTON)My Lords, in answer to my noble friend, I have to say that the Law Officers of the Crown have not yet given their opinion on this question, and therefore I am sorry I am unable to make any further statement respecting it at the present moment. The whole matter is receiving very careful consideration at the hands of the Government, but it is somewhat more complicated than might have been supposed, as the answer to be given in each case depends on the term of the agreement or lease, and these are by no means uniform. But I can assure the noble Earl that I will give him the further information with the least possible delay.
THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNI am quite certain that the matter has been, and is, under the very careful consideration of His Majesty's Government. It was before the Law Officers of the Crown as far back as April last, and apparently they have not been able during all this time to arrive at any conclusion. I hope the noble Earl will endeavour to accelerate their deliberations in some manner or another.