§ 4. Mr. Donald Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now give approval for assistance to outstanding water supply schemes in the Western Isles.
§ Mr. YoungerThere are no applications before my right hon. Friend at present. He is ready to consider schemes submitted by water boards for approval and assistance at the usual rates.
§ Mr. StewartI will send the hon. Gentleman a list of outstanding schemes. Is he aware that many communities in the Western Isles are without the ordinary civilised amenity of piped water and that the implementation of the outstanding schemes would do something to reduce the level of unemployment, which is the highest in any constituency in Britain?
§ Mr. YoungerI thank the hon. Gentleman. I agree that it is desirable that assistance should be extended as fast as possible. I am glad to say that we have approved seven schemes in the past nine months amounting to about £250,000. We hope that this work will continue.