asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to protect the schedules of house building in Livingston new town and elsewhere in Scotland threatened by the announcement of Messrs Loudon's Ltd. being put in the hands of the liquidators.

The affairs of the company have been placed in the hands of a receiver—not a liquidator—at the instance of the Clydesdale Bank. The Government are concerned to secure the speediest practicable completion of houses under Loudon's public sector contracts at minimum loss to public funds, and I shall consider urgently with Livingston Development Corporation and any other housing authority concerned, any suggestions to this end.