§ 39. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the unemployment situation in Scotland, if he will take steps to co-ordinate a scheme of public works comprising the Tay Road Bridge, the full development of Prestwick Airport, the siting of the proposed strip mill at Grangemouth, the graving dock on the Clyde, and a road programme commensurate with modern requirements.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonThe projects to which the hon. Member refers are at various stages of consideration and my right hon. Friend is in close touch with my colleagues about their place in the general programme of capital investment. My right hon. Friend has also communicated with local authorities and other public bodies with a view to authorising capital expenditure on suitable schemes to relieve unemployment, and several projects have already been started.
§ Mr. RankinIs the hon. Member aware that many of these schemes have been under consideration for the greater part of the existence of this Government? Can he now tell us when it is likely that something will be done about all of them, or any one of them? What prospect is there of getting some of them through before the present Government quit office?
§ Mr. MacphersonThe hon. Member's supplementary question is rather different from the Question he put on the Paper, which asks my right hon. Friend to take steps:
to co-ordinate a scheme of public works".I have indicated in my Answer what steps have been taken, and my right hon. Friend is in touch with local authorities and other bodies about the possibility of bringing forward, into this financial year or next, works which would otherwise have been carried out later.