asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate how many jobs in Scotland are dependent upon the United Kingdom's membership of the European Economic Community.

I regret that it is not possible to estimate accurately the number of jobs dependent on our membership of the European Community. Scotland, like the rest of the United Kingdom, benefits from access to a tariff-free market of 270 million people. Trade with our Community partners now accounts for 43 per cent. of the United Kingdom's trade with the world as a whole, compared with less than 30 per cent. before entry.