§ 42. Sir D. Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the Department of Agriculture for Scotland agreed to the Post Office acquiring and using part of the West Banks Farm, Caithness; and if he will prohibit any official agreeing to the use of good agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes and strictly confine such decisions to himself or other Scottish Ministers.
§ Mr. J. StuartThe Post Office's use of the land in question was agreed because at that time is was considered that no alternative site would meet the technical requirements. While cases of lesser importance must necessarily be dealt with at official level, all major proposals for the diversion of valuable agricultural land to other use which requires approval by any of my Departments are invariably considered by myself or my Ministerial colleagues.
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