asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total acreage of ground sites and premises available for sale or rent in the Gear area of Glasgow.

This information is not held by the Scottish Office but I have asked the Scottish Development Agency to let the hon. Gentleman have that which is available to it.

Will the Minister confirm that there is an unacceptably high level of undeveloped and empty sites in the east end of Glasgow? Will he instruct the Scottish Development Agency to purchase the 64-acre site that was formerly occupied by Parkhead Forge, which the Government refused to help keep in business last year? Is he not ashamed of the fact that 60 per cent. of young people are unemployed in the east end of Glasgow? Will he instruct the SDA to do something about the number of empty and derelict sites, in a bid to combat youth unemployment?

I visited that area in my ministerial capacity a fortnight ago. I was impressed by the work that had been done in the past few years. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman appreciates that GEAR is not insulated from the national economy. The SDA has been developing proposals to improve the ability of local work forces to obtain employment in that area.

Will the Minister tell the SDA that land which was formerly used by the British Steel Corporation at Clydebridge and elsewhere in the GEAR area should continue to be used for industrial purposes and no other?

I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the SDA and local authorities are discussing those problems. As far as I was able to make out at the meeting that I attended, everyone agreed that the area was a prime location and should be regarded as such.