§ Mr. R. Gibsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what acreage of land is held in Scotland by the Department of Agriculture; what acreage of that area is under crop, used as pasture lands, under cultivation as afforested land, and devoted to grouse moor or to deer forest, respectively, at the last available date; what was the corresponding position in 1913; and to what extent effort is made to convert grouse moor and/or deer forest into pasture or arable land, and to what effect, over the last four and eight years, respectively?
§ Mr. ColvilleThe land held by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland at 31st December, 1937, in connection with their statutory duties extended to approximately 439,252 acres, as detailed in the appended statement. Very full information regarding the acreage under head (a) of the statement which constitutes the main portion of the land held by the Department will be found on pages 134 to 139 inclusive of the Department's report for the year ended 31st December last (Cmd. 5736). The classification of the information approximates to that desired by the hon. and learned Member and it is hoped that it may serve his purpose. I regret that similar information is not available for year 1913.
On all their estates, the aim of this Department is to secure the best and fullest agricultural use of the land. Sporting facilities are let subject to the rights of the agricultural tenants and in no case to their detriment.
With regard to the last part of the question the Department in pursuance of their statutory duties have regard to the possibility of the fuller use of sporting lands for agricultural purposes and have in suitable cases taken steps to acquire and 2008W let to agricultural tenants lands of this nature under the conditions stated in the previous paragraph. For example, two deer forests extending to 5,946 acres and 7,720 acres were acquired at Martinmas, 1929, and Martinmas, 1933, respectively, and on these there have been constituted a total of 45 holdings on which the holders are in course of establishing breeding sheep stocks.
Statement showing acreage of land held by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland at 31st December, 1937. Acres. (a) Department's estates as shown on pages 134 to 139, inclusive, of the Department's Report 351,571 (b) Estates taken over from the Congested Districts Board (approximately) 84,500 (c) Fishermen's schemes 739 (d) Leased for plots for cultivation by unemployed persons 982 (e) Stud Farms: Owned 225 Leased 1,126 1,351 (f) Egg-laying Test Station and Seed Testing Station: Owned 82½ Leased 26½ 109 Total acreage 439,252