HC Deb 11 June 1969 vol 784 cc1459-60
53. Mrs. Ewing

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of his Department are engaged in studying the problems of emigration from Scotland.

Mr. Ross

Several officials of my Departments contribute to work on the problems of emigration.

Mrs. Ewing

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that soon after I came to this House after my election I had an assurance from the Minister of State, on a television programme with a likely audience of a million viewers, that a working group had been set up to inquire into emigration? As there seems to have been a cloak of secrecy over the findings of this group on one of the most important problems of Scotland, could we now have some information about its findings?

Mr. Ross

As I have told the hon. Lady before, over the last year 15 officials of Scottish Departments have regularly attended meetings of the Scottish Economic Planning Board's working group on population as part of their normal duties. This work continues and will continue.