§ 26. Mr. John MacLeodasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a general direction to the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to provide a warning system when there is danger of excessive flooding taking place at the lower points of their schemes.
§ Mr. Brooman-WhiteNo, Sir. But my right hon. Friend is asking the Board to consider what more can be done to inform the police of potential danger.
§ Mr. MacLeodIs my hon. Friend aware that in the recent extensive flooding in the Conon Valley a farmer lost £2,000 worth of stock and a crofter over £1,000 worth of stock in the lower regions? They assure me that if warning had been given they would at least have had some chance of getting that stock out of the way.
§ Mr. Brooman-WhiteI am aware of the difficulties and losses which occurred, but the right pattern is for the Board and the chief constables concerned to discuss the best way of giving information in future cases of danger.
§ Mr. MacLeodDo I take it from that reply that no warning is given when there is extensive flooding in the upper regions of these schemes to people in the lower regions?
§ Mr. Brooman-WhiteWe are asking the Board to consider what future information it can make available to the police, and it will be the responsibility of the police to convey the warnings.
§ Mr. MacLeodSurely some information should be given to the people in the region, not to the police.
§ Mr. Brooman-WhiteIt is for the police, not for the Board, to disseminate the information.