asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Atomic Energy Authority plans to offer its houses for sale to tenants on the same terms as will be enjoyed by the tenants of council houses after the passing of the Housing Bill.

The Atomic Energy Authority needs houses to aid recruitment and to facilitate the transfer of employees between sites, some of which are in remote areas including Dounreay. It has no general plans to offer houses for sale unless they become surplus to requirements.

Does my hon. Friend appreciate that his answer will be received with disappointment by many of the workers at Dounreay? Is he aware that during the recent visit by the Select Committee on Employment discussions took place with management and unions and that union representatives made it clear that they would like to have the same rights to buy their houses as tenants of council houses?

I appreciate what my hon. Friend has said. We shall study the question that he has raised. He should be aware that the Atomic Energy Authority regards the houses as an aid to recruitment. The situation is different from that in the coal industry, for example, because workers move around more. I shall certainly consider what my hon. Friend has said.

Is the Minister aware that many Conservative councils have used the same argument for opposing the Government's Housing Bill, because it is forcing them to sell houses which they say they need? Is it not ironic that he and the Secretary of State for the Environment have given similar answers and that the Secretary of State has said that the houses owned by his Department will not be offered to sitting tenants?

We shall certainly consider the matter.

Question number 9.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wished to ask a supplementary question on this matter because it deals specifically with my constituency. The hon. Member for Bridlington (Mr. Townend) asked a question about my constituents.

I apologise to the hon. Gentleman, but I was not aware that his constituents were involved. I shall call the hon. Gentleman because I want to be fair.

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Bill does not affect Scotland at all.

Order. It will be fair if I call the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan).

I am not ungrateful to the hon. Member for Bridlington for his anxiety about my constituents. Does the Minister realise that his announcement will be regarded as illogical since local authorities in the area are not provided with the same powers but are at least as interested in attracting mobile workers to the area by means such as housing?

I appreciate the argument and I undertake that the matter will be discussed with the AEA.