§ Q6. Miss Herbisonasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting with representatives of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry and which of its proposals he intends to accept.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer the hon. Lady to the Answers which I gave to similar Questions on Tuesday.
§ Miss HerbisonIs the Prime Minister aware that I heard those answers and I 638 read them? Does he realise that there is not in what he said on Tuesday a glimmer of hope for the 150,000 unemployed in Scotland? Will he tell us now on what he bases his claim that the Local Employment Act has been a success, since unemployment is rapidly increasing rather than declining? Is the Prime Minister aware that the people of Scotland and the north-east of England are tired of his gimmicks and Edwardian postures? Since he and his Ministers have neither the will nor the ability to find solutions for these problems, is not the only honourable thing for them to do to resign and allow another Government to take over?
§ The Prime MinisterI had a feeling that the hon. Lady was more anxious to make a speech than to ask a supplementary question, and I thought that it would have been discourteous of me to try to curtail her remarks in any way.
§ Mr. W. HamiltonIs the Prime Minister aware that one of the proposals which the Scottish Council supports is the elimination of the threat of the imposition of tolls on the new Forth Bridge, since it links two areas which are development districts and it is the only part of the trunk road between Inverness and London which is to be subject to this kind of charge? Why does not the Prime Minister now give an earnest of his desire to solve these problems in Scotland by announcing forthwith the complete elimination of this threat?
§ The Prime MinisterI will, of course, consider that, but, as far as I recollect, this matter was not brought to my attention by the deputation.
§ Miss HerbisonSince the Prime Minister has tried to ride out of this by a Smart Alec reply, may I ask him to answer the one specific question which I put to him: what is the basis for his claim that the Local Employment Act has been successful in Scotland?
§ The Prime Ministerthink that the operations under the Local Employment Act have brought new factories and new businesses on a large scale. Let me give some examples. It has been responsible for bringing the motor car industry to Scotland.
§ Mr. HoyWill the Prime Minister now make a statement about what we can expect with regard to two specific proposals, namely, the Mackenzie Committee's recommendation on the coal-fired power station in Scotland and the Rochdale Committee's recommendation on the development of Leith Docks?
§ The Prime MinisterI hope shortly. Both of these are under very close examination at the present time.