asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the figures for local authority manpower, in terms of full-time equivalents, for each quarter from March 1976 to date, broken down into figures for teachers and lecturers, policemen and firemen, and other employees respectively.

The information requested is as follows:

Legislation will be introduced in the 1980 Finance Bill which will change the trustee savings banks' status for tax purposes from that of investment companies to bring them into line with other trading concerns. The legislation, with appropriate transitional provisions, will apply to the accounting periods beginning 21 November 1979. The change follows the closing of the ordinary department and continues the development of the trustee savings banks towards full banking status.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take to promote further amalgamation of trustee savings banks.

This is a matter for the trustee savings banks.