§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the ratio of average earnings for men in the crofting counties to United Kingdom and Scottish average male earnings, respectively, in the year of establishment of the Highlands and Islands Development Board and in the latest year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkEstimates are not available for 1965, when the Board was established. The New Earnings Survey indicates that in April 1971 the average gross weekly earnings in the Highlands region of full time men aged 21 and over whose pay was not affected by absence were about 93 per cent. and 89 per cent. of the averages in Scotland and Great Britain respectively. These ratios are subject to sampling error.