§ Sir M. MacDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the advertisement of the Island of Rona as to 750W let was published by his Ministry; and whether, as it has now been shown that the substitution of cattle on this island by his Ministry has proved a success, he will let the grazing and the cattle at a rent to be fixed by the land court to the crofters now in the northern part of the adjacent Island of Raasay, to allow these people to have an expansion in their means of livelihood and thus induce them to remain attached to the soil.
Mr. FraserThe advertisement of the Island of Rona was issued on my right hon. Friend's behalf by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland. No inquiry about renting Rona has been received from any group of holders in the Northern part of the adjacent Island of Raasay, but an oral inquiry has been made by an individual holder on Raasay. My right hon. Friend would be prepared, of course, to consider any suitable offer by crofters for the island.
§ Sir M. MacDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the date of the acquisition of the Island of Rona by his Department; what was the number of tenants at that time; what was the total annual rental payable by them; what was the average annual rental collected since then; how many tenants there are at present on the island; and what is the total annual rental they pay.
Mr. FraserRona Island was acquired by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland in 1922. At that time the number of tenants was 14 and the annual rents payable by them amounted to £45. The average annual rental collected for the 21 years to Whitsunday, 1943, when the last tenant left was £16 7s.7d. Since Whitsunday, 1943, there have been no tenants and the Island has been under the management of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland.