§ 37. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he now expects to make his final observations on the recommendations contained in the Toothill Report.
§ Mr. LeburnThe Toothill Report includes a number of recommendations which the Scottish Council itself recognises require further study by it. Others involve other organisations and agencies, including industry itself. Those which concern matters of Government policy have been and are being most actively studied, and many of them are already being acted upon.
§ Mr. RankinIs the hon. Gentleman aware that we have been hearing that reply for nearly twelve months now? Does he not realise that this Report has been before us for fifteen months and these recommendations were supposed to help to provide more jobs in Scotland, which needs them badly? Will he say whether or not the Secretary of State believes that to be so? If he does, why is he fiddling over the matter and not coming to a quicker decision in view of the urgency of the time in which we live?
§ Mr. LeburnAs I said in answer to the Question, which is about my right hon. Friend's final observations, studies by people other than the Government are here involved.
§ Mr. HoyIs the hon. Gentleman aware that, while we welcome the Toothill proposals, we would welcome the reply of the Government? Does he realise that any failure or slowness in replying to the Toothill proposals does not absolve the Government from taking action of their own and that is what we want them to do?
§ Mr. LeburnThe Government have already made observations on the Toothill Report and I am sure the hon. Member knows about them.