§ 1. Mr. Clark Hutchisonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many major road bridge or tunnel projects were started and completed in Scotland in the six-year periods 1945 to 1951, 1951 to 1957 and 1957 to 1963; and how much in Government loans and grants these projects absorbed in each of these six-year periods.
§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Michael Noble)No major road bridge or tunnel project costing over £100,000 was started or completed in the financial years from 1945 to 1951. From 1951 to 1957 five were started; from 1957 to 1963 14 were started and 17 completed. From 1951 to 1957 Government expenditure for this purpose was about £320,000 and from 1957 to 1963 nearly £23 million.
§ Mr. Clark HutchisonWhile thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask if he can say what has been happening since the spring of 1963? Have there been any further developments?
§ Mr. NobleAs the House knows, the major project since then was the Tay Road Bridge, but there have been two other bridges, one at Dalhousie in Midlothian and one at Canderwater in Lanarkshire.
§ Mr. McInnesHaving regard to the fact that the tunnel project cost £6 million, does the Secretary of State realise that his contribution to these projects has been niggardly and mean?