§ Sir A. SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the amount of money voted by Parliament, the amount applied for, and the total payments actually made for land drainage in Scot-
Year. Amount voted by Parliament. Amount applied for. Payments. Estimated acreage improved. Arable. Hill. £ £ £ Acres. Acres. 1924–25 … … 43,500 109,543 29,831 5,300 136,000 1925–26 … … 16,500 25,417 9,110 2,500 50,000 1926–27 … … 20,625 38,573 14,732 3,950 56,000 1927–28 … … 10,950 31,777 7,767 2,650 41,300 1928–29 … … 13,010 34,513 10,056 3,100 37,750 1929–30 … … 15,750 37,742 11,887 3,400 28,850 1930–31 … … 29,950 40,215 5,871* Particulars not yet available. * This represents the amount paid to date. Claims for payment can be submitted up to 28th instant and the figure £5,871 will therefore be substantially increased. Note.—In each year the amount of the grants approved was equal to the amount voted by Parliament. Some farmers, however, abandon their proposals and fail to notify the Department of Agriculture in time to allow them to offer grants elsewhere; and others are often prevented from carrying out their full programme of work by adverse weather, shortage of labour or tiles, sickness, etc. Consequently the actual payments made in each year are less than the amount of grants approved.