asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons have been transferred from prisons in Scotland to Northern Ireland in the last 12 months; how many are known to be members of, or to have acted on behalf of, the IRA; and why the transfers were granted, in each case.

In 1973, the latest year for which figures are available, 5,494 children, representing 3–5 per 1,000 children aged under 18, came into the care of local authorities in Scotland under voluntary arrangements. The corresponding figures for England and Wales for the year ended 31st March 1973 were 53,559 and 4·0.