asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what was the total number and value of grants under the Local Employment Act, 1963, applied for since its inception by firms in Scotland and Coatbridge and Airdrie, respectively; and what were the number and value approved, the number and value refused, and the number and value of those still undecided.

As the Answer contains a number of figures, I am circulating it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that a substantial number of grants under the Act were refused by the Board of Trade and that this attitude on the part of his Department seems to ignore the unemployment complement in Scotland, which is now about 100,000? Will he in future try to be more generous and help us in Scotland to employ the present unemployed?

I do not think that the hon. Gentleman is justified in drawing those conclusions until he has examined the figures. Having done that, I think he will find that what he says does not follow from the figures.

Following are the figures: