asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to publish his estimate of the number of persons entitled to vote in the referendum in Scotland.

I shall make this information available before Parliament rises for the referendum recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that the referendum on the Scotland Act on 1 March can go ahead in the event of schools in Scotland, used as polling stations, being closed on that day as a result of industrial action.

I am watching this situation very closely. I cannot at this stage anticipate what industrial action might be taking place on 1 March but am encouraged by the recent statement that trade unions will not interfere with schools on that day. I am reluctant to believe that trade unions would seek to interfere with an exercise of democratic rights.