§ Mr. MACQUISTENasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has been made aware that the hotels in Cromarty and Invergordon belonging to the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) have ceased to supply teas or sleeping accommodation and are now merely drinking shops, staffed by aliens, to the districts where they are located; that they have divided their valuation into public house and hotel portions, and refuse to pay rates on the latter although still furnished premises as in former years; and will he direct that the board pay their local rates in the same way and to the same extent as other traders?
§ Mr. MUNROOne of the hotels at Cromarty and one at Invergordon have been closed so far as the residential portions of the premises are concerned. The other State-managed hotels in the two burghs can meet all the requirements in the way of sleeping accommodation and the supply of meals. Payments in lieu2224W of rates for the current year have been made upon the basis of the entries in the valuation roll, which have been divided by the assessor in the manner stated in the second part of the question. A claim for a larger payment has recently been addressed to me by one of the town councils, and will be duly considered.