§ Mr. WEIRasked the Lord Advocate if he will state the number of acres of land dealt with by the Congested Districts Board in each of the Highland crofting counties since the passing of the Act, distinguishing land used for the enlargement of holdings from land utilised for the creation of new holdings; and will he state the amount expended by the Board in each county in connection with land schemes, in the formation of fishermen's holdings, and the erection of fishermen's dwellings respectively?
§ Mr. UREThe information the hon. Member asks for as to acreage, expenditure, etc., is approximately as follows:—
County. New Holdings. Enlargements. Land in crofter occupation at time of purchase by C.D.B., or lands still undisposed of. Total Acreage. Net expenditure in each County. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. £ s. d. Argyll … — 122 — 122 35 9 6 Inverness … 41,963 17,339 44,241 103,543 159,829 17 10 Ross … 239 6,985 — 7,224 10,818 15 11 Sutherland … 12,116 — — 12,116 16,337 9 4 Caithness … 312 454 — 766 1,068 11 4 Zetland … 746 629 — 1,375 301 17 4 Total … 55,376 25,529 44,241 125,146 188,392 1 3 Many of the holdings formed, especially in the Islands, are occupied by crofter-fishermen, but the only fishermen's holdings and dwellings specially formed under section 4 (1) (e) of the Congested Districts (Scotland) Act, 1897, are the 29 at Battery Park, Stornaway. The net expenditure by the Board for these up to 31st March, 1909, is £4,970 14s. 3d., which is included in the amount stated above. Details of the Board's expenditure on each land settlement may be found in the Appendix No. X. of the Report of the Board for the year to 31st March, 1909.