GALLOWAY WATER POWER BILL [Lords], (Hansard, 9 May 1929)

Lieut.-Colonel MOORE

It will be within the recollection of the House that some of my hon. Friends and myself opposed the Second Reading of this Bill on certain definite grounds, and as a result the Bill was sent to a Committee presided over by the hon. Member for Central Wandsworth (Sir H. Jackson). Certain additions and amendments were made, which to a large extent have met our objections. One serious objection was that the hydro-electric scheme would receive an unfair subsidy as compared with coal produced electrically, and the 5¾ per cent. subsidy granted to the promoters of this Measure has been reduced to 4¾ per cent. I am informed that, comparing the hydroelectric station under this scheme with a steam station of similar value, the hydro-electric station will be paying in rates something like £4,000 more than the steam station. In these circumstances, we feel that further opposition on that point would be unfair. There is another point. The Secretary of State for Scotland has undertaken to have a revision every 10 years of this rating relief. The effect will be that we shall have an impartial review of the situation every 10 years, and, if the Secretary of State finds that an unfair subsidy is being given, to the advantage of the hydro-electric scheme, he will have it in his power to alter that rating relief.

I also pointed out that several owners of property along the River Doon would be seriously inconvenienced, and would have the value of their property lowered by the diminution in the flow of the river. That point has been met by an amenity Clause, which says that owners of property affected will be compensated by a cash payment. The salmon fishing industry was also seriously affected and the promoters have undertaken to make a cash compensation in that case also, and to extend the compensation for loss from five years to 10 years. On the question of unemployment we made a very strong 2432 point that the scheme would result in 400 or 500 miners in Ayrshire not getting the employment which is their right in producing coal for electricity, if this scheme were adopted. This afternoon I received an agreement in writing from the promoters that every Employment Exchange in Ayrshire will be exhausted before any outside labour is employed on this great scheme. That being so, and as we understand that the scheme will involve, the employment of 4,000 or 5,000 men in the vicinity for three or four years, I feel that, in the general interests of the unemployed in Ayrshire and in the interests of progress, for which this Bill undoubtedly stands, we ought to withdraw our further opposition.