§ Mr. LEONARDasked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the Department 491W of Agriculture for Scotland has refused to settle any landless men on the 60,000 acres of land now under deer in North Harris, Inverness-shire; if he is aware that Donald John Morrison has recently been cultivating a small patch of land on the said forest and is now threatened with imprisonment for so doing; whether the Government consent to such proceedings, seeing that he has offered a fair rent for the piece of land, but this offer has been refused by the landlord; if he is aware that the only holding offered to Morrison by the Department is on Borve or Luskintyre, which are a long way from his home and for which holding no other tenant can be found even among the landless in the immediate neighbourhood; and what steps he will take to protect Morrison in his plot of ground or provide him with a holding near his home?
§ Sir G. COLLINSIn reply to the first part of the question, the Department of Agriculture for Scotland have acquired 13,000 acres of deer forest lands in Harris and are at present in course of developing land settlement schemes. With regard to the second part of the question, I understand that Donald John Morrison referred to by the hon. Member has, against the advice of the Department of Agriculture, taken unauthorised occupation of certain lands at Ardvourlie, which I am informed are occupied by an estate employé. Proceedings are being taken by the proprietor for interdict. Morrison has been informed that the Department are prepared to give consideration to his requirements when 30 holdings on the estate of Borve, which is situated about 20 miles from Ardvourlie, are being allocated in the near future.