§ Mr. Russell Johnstonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the economic outlook for Scotland for the rest of 1974.
§ Mr. William RossIn the United Kingdom economy generally, with which Scottish prospects are closely bound up, output has shown a marked improvement from the low levels of the first quarter, and the Government's recent measures are intended to help maintain this improvement. In Scotland, trends have throughout the year been rather more favourable than in the rest of the United Kingdom. The Government's decision to double the regional employment premium, together with the effects of North Sea oil developments, should ensure that Scotland continues to benefit in this way.