§ Mr. WESTWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applicants were settled on small holdings in December, 1914, and what was the total number of applicants, with similar figures for December, 1926?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAt 31st December, 1914, the Board of Agriculture for Scotland had received 5,473 applications for new holdings and 3,857 for enlargements of existing holdings, and applicants had been given entry to 434 new holdings and 239 enlargements. At 31st December, 1926, 15,836 applications had been received for new holdings and 6,288 for enlargements, and applicants had been settled on 3,118 new holdings and 1,643 enlargements. I may add that of the total number of applications received up to the latter date, 6,967 had been withdrawn and 108 had been rejected for various reasons.
§ Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of applicants for small holdings in Harris who have not yet been granted small holdings; how much land is in the possession of the Board of Agriculture on that island; whether there is sufficient to lay out the necessary number of small holdings applied for; and, if not, whether any action has been or is likely to be taken to acquire sufficient land?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe number of applications received by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland for new holdings in Harris which remain undisposed of is 184; the Board do not possess any land in Harris, and it is not proposed that they should acquire any there, but, as I informed the hon. Member on 22nd March, schemes under the Land Settlement (Scotland) Act for the formation of small holdings in South Harris are at present under consideration.