asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is now able to make a statement about the proposal to carry out a comprehensive survey of housing conditions in Scotland.

Since the work of carrying out a housing survey must fall on local authorities, I have been in communication with the Scottish local authority associa- tions about the possibility of making a comprehensive national survey of housing conditions in the near future. The associations have, however, expressed the unanimous view that for reasons of manpower a survey of this kind would not be opportune at the moment and I have therefore decided to take no further action on the proposal at present. My Department will, of course, be glad to advise any local authority who wish to carry out a comprehensive survey of their own area.