§ Mr. John MacKayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the report of the committee of inquiry into local government in Scotland.
§ Mr. YoungerI received the report yesterday and it is today being sent to the printers. I hope that it will be ready for presentation to Parliament and publication by the end of January 1981.
I should like to put on record now my thanks to the chairman, the right hon. Anthony Stodart and his colleagues for the time and effort they have devoted to discharging, their remit and completing the report within the time required by their terms of reference.
After publication I intend inviting comments from all interests on the recommendations before indicating the Government's views on them.