HC Deb 09 March 1893 vol 9 cc1421-2
MR. WEIR (ROSS and Cromarty)

I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a railway from Garve to Ullapool is already authorised by "The Garve and Ullapool Railway Act, 1890"; whether, having regard to the serious distress prevalent in the western districts of Ross and Cromarty and the Island of Lewis, the Treasury are now prepared to sanction an arrangement under which that railway may he constructed with the aid of a Government guarantee; whether a similar arrangement will be sanctioned for the proposed railway from Achnasheen to Aultbea; whether he is aware of the contention of the Garve and Ullapool Railway Company that they were led by the Treasury to expect that an arrangement in the nature of a Government subsidy or guarantee would be made provided a solvent Railway Company would agree to construct and work the line; and that an arrangement to this effect was then made by them with the Great North of Scotland Railway Company, and why the Treasury thereupon withdrew from the pending negotiations; and whether the Treasury are now prepared to accept the offer made by the Garve and Ullapool and Great North of Scotland Railway Companies as to the construction of the railway authorised by "The Garve and Ullapool Railway Act, 1890," with the aid of a Government guarantee; and, if not, why not?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir W. HARCOURT,) Derby

The Highlands and Islands Commission, in July, 1890, reported against this line in the following terms:— The Ullapool line cannot, as at present designed, be recommended as one accommodating fishing requirements. Uilapool is situated some miles from the sea, entailing too long a beat inwards or outwards for fishing craft. The Special Committee of 1891, appointed to inquire into the various railway schemes in the West Highlands, reported as follows:— For this reason, we concur in the opinion of the Highlands and Islands Commission, that Ullapool is unfitted for a fishery centre. There appears to be no ground for the contention in the fourth paragraph of the question. The determination of the late Government not to contribute to this line was communicated to its promoters by the Scotch Office on the 16th December, 1891, and repeated by the Treasury in June, 1892; and the present Government see no reason for reversing that decision. They are not prepared to guarantee the Achnasheen and Aultbea line.