§ Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any representations from the smallholders of the Claigan settlement on the MacLeod Estates, in Skye, that they are unable to pay the price fixed by the Scottish Board of Agriculture for the sheep stock taken over at their ingoing; 1422W and why the Board has now withdrawn an offer already made to let the settlers have the stock at sale-ring prices, an offer which the settlers are willing to accept?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI am aware that the Board of Agriculture for Scotland have received representations from the Claigan holders as to their inability to pay the prices at which they agreed to take over sheep stock at their ingoing at Whit-Sunday, 1926. The second part of the question does not accurately represent the facts, if it suggests that the Board has withdrawn an offer which was still open. The offer was one of two alternatives put before the holders at their entry in 1926, but the holders decided to accept the alternative offer, which was sale of the stock at prices named by the Board.