§ Mr. WEIRasked the First Commissioner of Works, as representing the Secretary for Scotland, how many land settlements have been made in the Western Isles during the past five years; and in how many of these settlements did the present holders raid or threaten to raid the land now held by them before the Board of Agriculture moved in the matter?
§ Sir J. BAIRD32 land settlement schemes have been put into operation in the Western Isles during the past five years. In 14 of these cases the lands had been raided.
§ Mr. WEIRasked the First Commissioner of Works, as representing the Secretary for Scotland, what steps, since the passing of the Small Landholders Act of 1911, have the Board of Agriculture for Scotland taken to make available the farm of Stinervay, in the parish of Lochs, Lewis, which farm extends to 80 acres arable and several hundreds of acres pasture; whether landless men from the adjoining congested crofting township have been applying for land on this farm for the past 10 years; and whether the Board have refused or delayed to take action in the matter, with the result that these landless men or some of them have now seized the farm and are threatened by the landlords with interdict proceedings?
§ Sir J. BAIRDI refer to my reply to the hon. Member's question of yesterday on the same subject. I am aware that there are applications of long standing for the farm in question, but for the reason stated yesterday I am not prepared to ask the Board to reconsider their refusal to proceed with a scheme.