asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the Government's current attitude to the Oceanspan proposals of the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) which have been brought to his attention.

I have always taken the view that the study of development possibilities contained in the Oceanspan reports of the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) represents a valuable contribution to thought on regional economic problems which, as actual initiatives taken by the Government before and since the reports have shown, is in many respects in line with the Government's policies.