§ Mr. Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the Highlands and Islands Development Board maintains any record or register of Highland land which, in the past few years, has been purchased by foreign interests;
(2) what is his estimate for the current year of purchases of Highland land by foreign interests;
(3) what is his estimate of the effect on land use policies of large Highland estates passing into the ownership of foreign interests;
(4) what legislative proposals he has to prevent the further spread of absentee landowners in the Highlands.
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§ Mr. Harry EwingThe Highlands and Islands Development Board does not maintain a record. Further consideration of trends in landownership should await the report of the Northfield Committee, expected later this year.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (I) if, as an aid to the Committee of Inquiry on Land Acquisition, he will take the necessary administrative steps to compile a register of land bought by foreign interests;
(2) what is the total acreage of the Highland area; and what is his estimate of the amount held in non-Scottish ownership;
(3) if, in view of growing public anxiety about the sale of land in Scotland to outside foreign interests, he will now seek powers to prevent any further large land transaction until a report has been published by the inquiry into land acquisition;
(4) if it is his policy that there should be a limit to which the land of Scotland can be purchased by foreign interests; and if he proposes to introduce legislation to determine such a limit.
§ Mr. Harry EwingThe Highland area including the Islands amounts to 9,294,300 acres. I have no estimate of the amount held in non-Scottish ownership. Further consideration of trends in landownership should await the Report of the Northfield Committee.