§ Mr. Malcolm MacMillanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many tractor outfits were sent this year by the Department of Agriculture to assist agricultural expansion in the Western Isles; what the total increased ploughed acreage was over last year's figure; and what number of tractor outfits it is intended to send for the coming year?
§ Mr. E. BrownOne tractor outfit was sent to the Western Isles for spring cultivations and is still there. Whether additional outfits will be necessary will depend on the extent of the orders received for the coming season. Complete statistics as to the acreage under tillage this year are not available but preliminary returns show a slight increase over the 1939 figures.
§ Mr. MacMillanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many men from the Western Isles have been released temporarily and permanently from the services for agricultural work at the request of the local agricultural executive committees since September?
§ Mr. BrownOn the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland after consideration of reports by the42W agricultural executive committees concerned, eight men from the Western Isles have been temporarily released from the Forces and seven permanently released. I have no information as to the number of men who may have been released on compassionate grounds as a result of direct application to the Service Departments.