Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state, following the information he gave in an answer to a question on 20th April last, why, if the capital receipts of the Commissioners of His Majesty's Woods, etc., were for the five years to 1909 in Scotland, £41,486, and in Ireland, £155,193, and the capital expenditure in Scotland was £32,290, the corresponding expenditure in Ireland was only £15,785; if he considers Ireland offers less security for the investment of Irish money than Scotland offers for Scotch money; if additional money from the same source was expended in Scotland during the past year in the purchase of the estate of Scotscalder in Caithness, consisting of about 3,000 acres of arable land and 10,000 acres of moors for the purpose of dividing a part of it into small holdings; if so, how much was given for this property; and also, having regard to the fact that this is at least the second large purchase of land in Scotland in recent years by the Commissioners, he will direct that inquiry should be made by 2564W them in Ireland with a view to their utilising a substantial portion of their Irish revenues in acquiring land in Ireland for promoting the formation of small holdings, afforestation, and other purposes?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIt is the practice of the Commissioners of Woods, when dealing with the capital money under their control, to select the investments which they consider most desirable at the moment without having special regard to the proportions in which that money was derived from particular parts of the Kingdom. It is on this principle that the investments in Ireland and Scotland, to which the hon. Member refers, have been made. The sum of £46,500 has been expended during the current financial year in the purchase of the estate of Scotscalder, which adjoins the Crown estate of Dorrery, in Caithness, and comprises the areas of arable and moorland mentioned in the question. It is proposed to divide part of it into small holdings. In view of all the circumstances, including the operations of the Department of Agriculture in Ireland and the Irish Land Commission, I see no need for directing such an inquiry as is suggested by the hon. Member, but if any suitable opportunity for investment in Ireland occurs full consideration will be given to it.