Dr. MURRAYasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has received information of the disastrous effects of a terrific storm which swept over the Outer Hebrides on 16th March, in the course of which a large number of crofters' and fishermen's dwellings had the roofs blown off and were otherwise so seriously damaged as to render many poor people homeless and dependent upon their less unfortunate neighbours for shelter, and resulting, in one house, in the loss of four lives; whether, owing to the failure of the fishing, the absence of work, and the stagnation in the tweed industry, the economic conditions make reconstruction of the ruined homes impossible without external aid; and whether he will at once cause inquiries to be made into the extent of the damage and into the resources of the people who suffered, with a view to advising the Government to give financial assistance in necessitous cases for repairing the dwellings as was done in connection with the Louth disaster last year?
§ Mr. MUNROI am aware that a considerable amount of damage has been caused in the Outer, Hebrides by the storm in March, but I have not yet received detailed information as to individual losses, or as to the resources of the sufferers. Inquiries are being made in the districts affected.