HC Deb 22 May 1968 vol 765 c521
21. Earl of Dalkeith

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made to the cost to the Exchequer of implementing the Johnston Marshall Plan for the Borders.

Mr. Ross

I cannot yet estimate how much of the necessary investment will be in the public sector.

Earl of Dalkeith

Will the right hon. Gentlem;m assure the House that before he commits the taxpayer to vast sums of expenditure he will first of all consider the future of the Borders in terms of a balanced population with a balance in age groups rather than in terms of large numbers simply for the sake of large numbers?

Mr. Ross

The hon. Gentleman is wrong to think that the Government are so blind as to race into this without thinking of this very obvious problem. We appreciate the difficulty. A Conservative Government produced a demographic report about the Borders and that showed clearly how unbalanced things are, particularly in connection with age groups. Any move of population into the area will be designed to correct that rather than to aggravate it.

Mr. David Steel

Of particular interest to my constituents is whether the Government are making any firm commitments in connection with the various projects in the Plan. Is he aware that we are especially interested to know if a starting date for the new hospital has been agreed and, more immediately, if a firm starting date has been fixed for a new bridge over the Tweed at Gala-foot?

Mr. Ross

If the hon. Gentleman will table specific Questions on those matters I will answer them.