asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals his Department has for the building of sports centres in Scotland over the next 12 months other than that proposed for the State Hospital, Carstairs.

No new sports centres are proposed to be built in institutions for which I am directly responsible, but work is due to start in 1977 at Polmont Borstal on the replacement of structurally unsound buildings including a gymnasium; the total cost is estimated at £1.435 million of which about £220,000 is attributable to the replacement of the gymnasium.Responsibility for the provision of recreational facilities for the general public rests with local authorities. Local authorities sports centres at Bonnyrigg (£780,000), Bearsden (£1,929,000), Coat-bridge (£910,000), Darvel (£145,000) and Linwood (£1,182,000) are now under construction. It is for the authorities themselves to decide, in the light of the capital investment allocated to them, whether any other centres should be started in the coming year. Work is also due to start next year on a games hall, estimated to cost £135,000, at St. Ninian's School, Gartmore, a List D school.