asked the Minister of Pensions how many of the permanent and temporary members of the various headquarters staffs and their branches are ex-service men, and their proportion in each case to the total numbers employed both permanently and temporarily?

Excluding the Pension Issue Office and the Statistical Branch, which, under present conditions, are mainly reserved for women, 679 permanent and 7,671 temporary men are employed in the various headquarter offices and their branches in London and the provinces. Of these, 540 (or 79 per cent.) of the permanent men and 7,589 (or 99 per cent.) of the temporary men, are ex-service men.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether a scheme prepared by the Board of Agriculture for constituting holdings on the site of Nigg Camp, Ross-shire, and approved by the Treasury, has now been postponed?

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has received a resolution of protest against the delay in providing small holdings on the site of Nigg Camp; and whether he can hold out any hope of early action to satisfy the demand put forward by ex-service men?

The scheme to which my right hon. Friend refers was laid before me in accordance with the provisions of the Land Settlement (Scotland) Act, 1919. On consideration of all the circumstances I did not feel justified in authorising the scheme. In accordance with my instructions, however, the Board of Agriculture are proceeding under an alternative method by which I hope that a suitable scheme for the settlement of ex-service men may be arranged very shortly.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that owing to the disappointment of these ex-service men at the delay they have now seized the land and are in possession of it?

I think that is not so. I have taken steps to inform these ex-service men of the present position and the instructions I have given, and the situation has been entirely eased.

Do we understand that the scheme has been abandoned after it had been approved by the Treasury?

The scheme was abandoned because, under authority conferred upon me by Statute, I did not think it proper that it should proceed.

Had it meantime been approved by the Treasury.

I think it had been approved by the Treasury so far as the Treasury had jurisdiction, and by the Board of Agriculture, but by this Statute the final say in the matter is conferred upon the Secretary for Scotland.

What are the grounds for the right hon. Gentleman's decision?

I am not at all sure that I am bound to give them in answer to a question. I gave the scheme most careful consideration and in the exercise of the discretion conferred on me I turned it down.

What precisely does the Minister mean by saying he is not bound to give us, who represent Scottish seats, the information on which he turned down this proposal?

I said quite distinctly that I am not sure that I am bound to give that information in answer to a question. The hon. Member will have the fullest opportunity, if he desires it, to raise it.

May we not be informed why the right hon. Gentleman changed his mind?

There was no change of mind.

Must there not have been a change of mind, in view of the fact that he submitted it to the Treasury?

No, the Treasury has to consider the matter from the point of view of finance. I have to consider it from a wider point of view.

Was not the right hon. Gentleman satisfied with the scheme when he submitted it to the Treasury?

The hon. and gallant Gentleman had better raise it on the Estimates.