asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take in the light of recent figures showing a sharp increase of crime in Strathclyde.

While the crime figures recorded by the police in Strathclyde for the third quarter of 1979 show a 6 per cent. increase against the same quarter in 1978 the figures for the first three quarters of 1979 in fact show a small decrease against the same period last year. Too much emphasis should not be placed on the figures relating to a single year, still less to a single quarter. The Government accord a high priority to measures designed to bring down the present high level of criminal activity. We have already acted to increase police manpower; and the Criminal Justice Bill we shall shortly introduce for Scotland will contain measures aimed at reducing the present level of crime.