asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in the light of the recommendations of the Toothill Report on the Scottish economy, he will now take steps to increase the grants available to local authorities for the clearing of derelict sites.

The Committee's recommendation about derelict site grants is being studied. Meanwhile, as my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member on 7th March, a fair number of schemes have been submitted on the present basis.

Yes, but is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Secretary of State also said that the applications were not coming in as fast as he had hoped, and does he not recognise that this question is given increased urgency in view of the grim news which has come out only this morning about the imminent closures of North British and the shale mining industry? Will he not take much more urgent steps to encourage local authorities to clear up derelict sites in order to get industries to take the places of those whose closures are now on us?

Certainly we are most anxious to clear up these derelict sites but at the moment I think that we should wait till we have considered the recommendations of the Toothill Committee.

Would not the hon. Gentleman agree that this is a matter of great urgency in view of the news announced in this morning's paper that 2,500 men are to be out of work in Scotland with two closures? Does not he realise that it is absolutely essential, if we are to have greater employment for these people in Scotland in future, that sites should become available, and that it is up to the Scottish Office to get a move on in the matter?

Answer.

Is not the hon. Gentleman going to give an answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Leith (Mr. Hoy)? Does not he regard this as being a question of the most fundamental importance to the Scottish economy? Why does he just sit there and refuse to answer the supplementary question?

I told the hon. Gentleman that we are anxious to have these sites cleared. I also told him that we were waiting while we studied the recommendations of the Toothill Committee. I am not prepared to go further than that at the moment.