§ Mr. Mackieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether as an impartial investigation into the ordinary statutory housing subsidy was made by an impartial working party, he will arrange for such an impartial investigation to be made into the method of calculating the remote area grant before changes are made, in view of the fact that the present method has been in operation for over 20 years.
§ Mr. MaclayThe Working Party, which undertook certain studies before the last revision of subsidies, was concerned only with establishing certain facts about housing finance. There is no need for similar studies in relation to the method of calculating remote area subsidy, where the facts are well-known and the new method—on which there have been full discussions with representatives of the local authorities concerned—is designed only to give more precise effect to existing statutory provisions.
10Wbeen set up under the chairmanship of Lord Strathclyde. I am represented on that Committee by officials of the Scottish Departments, who are assisting the Committee's activities in public relations, in liaison with the local authorities, and in any other way open to them.