§ 31. Mr. Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the Fife County Council and the Glenrothes Development Corporation on future policy in the new town.
§ Mr. J. N. BrowneMy right hon. Friend is now considering the views put forward by the development corporation and the county council at their recent meeting with my noble Friend the 1147 Minister of State, Scottish Office, and hopes to make an announcement at an early date.
§ Mr. HamiltonCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the early announcement will be made before the Recess and in this House? Would he not agree that a powerful case was put up by the spokesmen of the development corporation, and does not that statement make the Government thoroughly ashamed of their short-sighted policy that they are now carrying out?
§ Mr. BrowneThe answer to the first two parts of the supplementary question is "Yes". The Government have nothing to be ashamed of. We welcome the signs of greater activity. In the last six months 149 miners from other areas have been housed, compared with 13 in the previous six months and a total of 85 in the eight years 1948–55.