HC Deb 05 May 1943 vol 389 cc239-40
The Solicitor-General for Scotland

I beg to move, in page 2, line 38, after "may," to insert: after giving not less than seven days' notice and, The purpose of this Amendment is to require the Board to give due notice before exercising their power under paragraph (a) of Clause 3 to enter upon land for the purpose of making surveys and collecting information about water power resources in the North of Scotland District. Such surveys are necessary to enable the Board to work out a programme of development and to prepare a detailed constructional scheme, and the Amendment is to ensure that before entering upon land for such purposes seven days' notice must be given.

Amendment agreed to.

Major Lloyd

I wish to move, in page 2, line 42, to insert, after "collect":

for the purposes of their powers and duties.

The Deputy-Chairman

The hon. and gallant Member's Amendment is not being called, but he can speak on the Motion "That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill," if he so desires.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill."

Sir Alfred Beit (St. Pancras, South East)

Having been a resident in the Highlands, I am slightly interested in this matter, and apologise if the points I wish to make have already been discussed. Could we be given any estimate of the potential resources of electrical development in the area envisaged by the Bill? Is the potential kilowatt output which could be developed known under the plans to be put forward by the Board? Further, can we be told how much of the output will be harnessed for use?

Major Lloyd

May I ask the Minister to consider the possibilities of limiting the powers of collecting information, as the wording is rather wide?

The Lord Advocate

As regards the question about potential resources, the Cooper Report states that they are estimated at a 450,000 kilowatt continuous load. It is too early to say yet, without a detailed survey, how much of that load may ultimately be harnessed. As regards the point made by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for East Renfrew (Major Lloyd), we will certainly look at the possibility of improving the wording of paragraph (b) and if possible find some form of words more acceptable to my hon. and gallant Friend.

Question, "That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill," put, and agreed to.