asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the share respectively of (a) public direct labour schemes and (b) private contractors' schemes in local authority housebuilding for the years 1985 and 1986, respectively, in Scotland.

Complete information is not available centrally. However schemes covered by returns made by local authorities to the Scottish Development Department for the years 1985 and 1986, covering approximately 70 per cent. of all new-build dwellings in tenders accepted for those years, were all by private contractors.