HC Deb 24 February 1965 vol 707 cc382-4
20. Mr. Wolrige-Gordon

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what immediate plans he has for the development of the north-east of Scotland pending the publication of a large-scale plan for the whole area.

Mr. Willis

I have nothing meantime to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 9th December last year.

Mr. Wolrige-Gordon

Were we to understand from the reply of the Secretary of State for Scotland to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Lady Tweedsmuir) last week that the detailed study of north-east Scotland, put in train by the Conservative Government, is now ready but is held back pending completion of yet further studies by this Government?

Mr. Willis

No, Sir, that is not the case.

Mr. Hector Hughes

To what extent do the plans referred to in the previous Answer include the building of advance factories for industrial expansion in and about the City of Aberdeen? How many such advance factories are envisaged by the plans and when will the building of those advance factories be started and completed?

Mr. Willis

It depends on what my hon. and learned Friend means by "in and about". Two advance factories are being provided at Fraserburgh and Peter-head.

Mr. Noble

In view of his hon. Friend's reply to an earlier question about no industrial development having been brought to Scotland by the last Government, will the hon. Gentleman give the House in due course his reasons why his right hon. Friend claimed that the November figures—the highest on record—were due to his action?

Mr. Willis

I am not quite certain what all that means, but I am sure that my right hon. Friend is quite competent to explain his own figures without soliciting my aid.

Lady Tweedsmuir

Will the Minister of State answer the question which his right hon. Friend failed to answer the other day, as to when the North-East Study will be laid, and, secondly, whether he will consider another advance factory for the North-East, as the first one announced did not include Aberdeen City?

Mr. Willis

We do not know when the report on the North-East will reach us, but we expect that it will reach us about the middle of this year. It will be considered in the light of the national Scottish planning which is at present going on, and, of course, used in that context for the purpose of preparing other plans for Scotland.