§ Q6. Sir J. MacLeodasked the Prime Minister whether, in order to save individuals and local authorities further expense, he will give an assurance that approval will not be given to closure of the railway services north and west of Inverness until the wider implications of these closures have been considered by the Highland Transport Board.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, has already given an assurance that he will obtain the Board's advice on these proposals.
Decisions on them will be taken only after he and the Minister of Transport have fully considered this advice, together with the reports on hardship by the Transport Users Consultative Committee and other evidence on the wider implications of the proposals.
§ Sir J. MacLeodMy right hon. Friend will be aware that considerable consternation has been caused by the uncertainty of the position. Will he ensure that the Government announce a decision in this matter soon and say how ridiculous these proposals are?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that my right hon. Friends the Minister of Transport and the Secretary of State for Scotland must have the advice from these bodies dealing with hardship and every other aspect of the case before taking a decision.
Mr. H. WilsonI take it that the Prime Minister sticks to his assurance, given repeatedly in Kinross and West Perthshire, that there will be no closures unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that adequate alternative transport facilities are available and that this assurance applies equally to England and Wales. If he reconfirms that statement, does not he agree that it makes absolute nonsense of the speech of the Minister of Transport last April?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. When I make a pledge and say what is going to be done, I do not have to reaffirm it.
§ Mr. GrimondWill the Prime Minister give an assurance that not only will the views of the Highland Transport Board be sought before any question of closure arises but that no closures will take place before the Government produce a plan for Highland development?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that both right hon. Members must consider the questions which have been looked at by the Transport Board. That is what the Question on the Order Paper is about.
Mr. H. WilsonSince it took four supplementary questions to get the right hon. Gentleman to reaffirm in the House what he said in Kinross and to say that it applies to England and Wales, will he now answer the second part of my question as to whether or not this is a complete derogation of what the Minister of Transport told us in April when he said that one-third of the railway services were to be closed and that a further one-third were under consideration for closure?
§ The Prime MinisterThe answer to the first part of the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question is "No, Sir". The answer to the second part is that what I have told him three times is true.
§ Mr. RossThe Prime Minister has given an assurance that he will obtain the advice of the Highland Transport Board. Will he also assure us that he will accept the advice of the Transport Board?
§ The Prime MinisterI cannot give an assurance that advice will be accepted until I have seen it.