§ Sir D. Thomsonasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the county agricultural executive committee was consulted prior to the determination of the boundaries of the exercise area about to be taken over in North-East Scotland; and why it was found to be necessary to draw this line so as to divide not only farms but even farm steadings into two bits?
Mr. ThomasThe county agricultural executive committee was not consulted prior to the general determination of the boundaries of the area because these were largely governed by overriding joint Service requirements for which the Admiralty is acting as agent. Such modifications of the boundaries as are compatible with those requirements are, however, now being made in consultation with the committee and the Department of Agriculture230W for Scotland. The division of farms is in some cases unfortunately unavoidable, but in the one case where the line originally fixed divided the farm steading into two an adjustment is being made to exclude the whole of the steading.
§ Sir D. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he was consulted prior to the determination of the area about to be taken over by the Services in the North-East Scotland?
Mr. JohnstonYes, Sir. I am in touch with my right hon. Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty about minor adjustments of the boundary line.