§ Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what grants will be available to the island councils of Orkney and Shetland in the current year for the repair of roads.
§ Mr. Gregor MacKenzieOrkney and Shetland will be covered by the arrangements announced in reply to the hon. Member for Inverness (Mr. Johnston) on 26 March.—[Vol. 965, c.55–6.]
§ Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on possible Government assistance for shipping services to Orkney and Shetland.
§ Mr. MillanMy Department has been discussing with Orkney and Shetland Island councils a scheme Of assistance for shipping services, and has now put formal proposals to the councils. In essence, they would provide for 1979–80 assistance 739W of about £300,000 a year for Orkney and about £400,000 for Shetland by giving at the new rates a rebate of 35 per cent. on all southbound freight traffic, except for empty containers, vehicles and trailers and 12½ per cent. on all northbound freight except for beverages. This assistance will be provided out of existing public expenditure and would be available to meet the charges of any shipping company serving the islands from the Scottish mainland on the basis of published schedules and tariffs. However, in order to qualify for grant, a company will have to enter into an undertaking with me in terms of the Highlands and Island Shipping Services Act 1960 and any such undertaking would be laid before the House.
POLICE STRENGTH AND ESTABLISHMENT AT 31 MARCH 1979 Force Male Police strength Female Total Authorised establishment (male and female) Difference Central … … 456 21 477 505 -28 Dumfries and Galloway … … 280 18 298 297 +1 Fife … … 586 53 639 653 -14 Grampian … … 838 65 903 920 -17 Lothian and Borders … … 2,105 131 2,236 2,361 -125 Northern … … 558 37 595 592 +3 Strathclyde … … 6,180 419 6,599 6,977 -378 Tayside … … 894 34 928 920 +8 Totals … … 11,897 778 12,675 13,225 -550 Strength figures include additional regulars, secondments etc.
740W
POLICE STRENGTH AND ESTABLISHMENT AT 31 MARCH 1974 Force Male Police strength Female Total Authorised establishment (male and female) Difference Aberdeen … 395 15 410 416 -6 Angus … 190 5 195 203 -8 Argyll … 133 6 139 156 -17 Ayr … 692 31 723 707 +16 Berwick, Roxburgh and Selkirk … 165 5 170 182 -12 Dumfries and Galloway … 236 14 250 273 -23 Dunbarton … 377 19 396 464 -68 Dundee … 405 18 423 455 -32 Edinburgh … 1,227 47 1,274 1,281 -7 Fife … 594 41 635 643 -8 Glasgow … 2,721 130 2,851 3,340 -489 Inverness … 185 15 200 209 -9 Lanark … 1,121 49 1,170 1,249 -79 Lothian and Peebles … 525 24 549 633 -84 Northern … 109 6 115 122 -7 Perth and Kinross … 280 11 291 291 — Renfrew and Bute … 700 32 732 847 -115 Ross and Sutherland … 160 5 165 178 -13 North Eastern counties … 373 13 386 383 +3 Stirling and Clackmannan … 439 15 454 467 -13 Totals … 11,027 501 11,528 12,499 -971 I am ready to discuss any proposals with the Islands councils concerned and, when the details have been finalised, arrangements will be made to seek Supplementary Estimates provision and an appropriate upward adjustment in cash block SDD1.