HC Deb 20 April 1970 vol 800 cc30-1
62. Mr. Edward M. Taylor

asked the Minister of Technology what proposals he has received from the British Steel Corporation regarding the provision of an ore terminal and steel manufacturing works in Clydeside; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alan Williams

The British Steel Corporation does not consider it will be necessary to bring into operation a completely new works on a green field site before 1975, and the question of proposals does not arise at the moment; as regards the ore terminal, I have nothing to add to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rutherglen (Mr. Gregor Mackenzie) on 16th February. [Vol. 796, c. 12.]

Mr. Taylor

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that our present ore terminal facilities are quite inadequate? Is he further aware that many people on Clydeside fear that the unique opportunities offered by its deep-water facilities will be lost to Scotland because of the number of Government Departments involved, including the Board of Trade, the Treasury and the Ministry of Transport? Will the future of the plan be lost because of massive bureaucracy and demarcation disputes between the Ministries involved?

Mr. Williams

I thought that the hon. Gentleman would be delighted that so many Government Departments were focussing their attention on the problems of the Clyde.

Mr. William Hamilton

Does not my hon. Friend agree that if the policies of the Opposition were carried out in Scotland—namely, that they would specify growth points instead of scheduling Scotland entirely as a development area—there would be no question of this development taking place at all?

Mr. Williams

I am sure that in all the development areas the shambles which the Opposition put forward under the label of "regional policy" has been seen for what it is.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the alternative which the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton) referred to is not our policy? We have stated that Scotland will be kept as a development area and growth points will be one of the very much more effective methods we will use within that development area.

Mr. Williams

Like other hon. Members, I have long since lost track of the various permutations put forward by the Opposition under the guise of policies.