§ Mr. SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that his predecessor in office instructed 842W the Board of Agriculture to relegate the matter of land settlement to a secondary place; whether, in view of the main object and purpose of the Small Landowners (Scotland) Act, 1911, being to encourage the formation of small agricultural holdings in Scotland, he will now instruct the Department of Agriculture to promote land settlement as a primary object; and whether, in doing so, he will also instruct special attention to be given to the application for holdings or enlargements of over 3,000 ex-Service men?
Mr. ADAMSONI am aware that during recent years the House of Commons has not been asked to vote the full sums which are available under Statute for the service of land settlement in Scotland. I propose to ask the House to vote the full statutory Grant-in-Aid of the Agriculture (Scotland) Fund for the forthcoming year and land settlement will proceed to the full extent of the funds available. With regard to the last part of the question ex-Service applicants, other things being equal, are given a preference.
§ Mr. SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the £2,750,000 agreed to be lent by the Public Works Loan Commissioners for land settlement in Scotland has been expended and the amount of funds from all sources available at this date to the Department of Agriculture for land settlement purposes?
Mr. ADAMSONThe total sum expended on land settlement in Scotland out of loans from the Public Works Loan Commissioners was £2,158,185. Expenditure on land settlement is now confined to the Agriculture (Scotland) Fund and the proportion of the balance at credit of the fund available for land settlement purposes at 1st November is approximately £225,000. The fund is, however, replenished by an Annual Grant from Voted Monies. In addition to this, the sum of £103,000 is provided on the Department's Vote during the current financial year to meet the loss arising from the repayment of loans to the Public Works Loan Commissioners during 1928–29.
§ Mr. SCRYMGEOURasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that, as an outcome of depart- 843W mental reorganisation, the administration of land settlement in Scotland has been for some considerable time and is still delegated to three Englishmen, clerks of the second division; and will he say what steps, if any, are being taken to improve on this position of affairs in the interests of land settlement?
Mr. ADAMSONThe direction of policy and the control of land settlement in Scotland is vested in the Secretary of State for Scotland, who is responsible to Parliament. I have not delegated my powers to any civil servants in the Department of Agriculture and I have not thought that any useful purpose would be served by an inquiry into the birthplace of the civil servants in the Department.