asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what decision has been reached about giving assistance under the Local Employment Act to the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to bring electricity to the more remote areas and the islands not already served.

The purpose of Section 7 of the Local Employment Act, 1960, is to assist the provision of improvement of some local service on which the development of the district, and particularly of industrial undertakings there, depends. Further, it must be shown that the improvement in question is expedient for the purposes of Part I of the Act, that is in order to promote employment for the benefit of a development district.