asked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women, respectively, who have been registered as unemployed in Scotland for more than six months.

The numbers of insured males and females registered as unemployed in Scotland on 9th December, 1946, who had been continuously unemployed for more than six months, were 14,427 and 2,556, respectively.

Is the Minister aware that this represents a considerable increase during the past three months, and can he state whether any special action is being taken about it?

Yes, Sir, my colleagues are doing the best they can to get the available factories taken over by industrialists.

Will the Minister confirm the impression that the number is rising steadily since, that date?

Without looking at it, I would not like to say one way or the other.

Can we have the incidence of unemployment for the counties in Scotland? How many unemployed are there in Aberdeen, and how many workers in the building trade are unemployed?

I cannot give the figures without notice.

Is the Minister satisfied that this heavy unemployment is in the development areas, and not so much in other areas?

I was asked for the overall figures, and not the figures for localities I should say that the bulk of unemployment is in the development areas.