Rural Areas (Hansard, 24 February 1971)

§ 2. Mr. Sillars
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make an official tour of the rural areas of Scotland.

§ Mr. Gordon Campbell
As my home and constituency are in the North of Scotland, I frequently travel by different routes through much of rural Scotland.

§ Mr. William Hamilton
Keep travelling.

§ Mr. Campbell
I do. I shall continue also to make visits to particular areas as part of my programme.

§ Mr. Sillars
Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware of the staggering number of withdrawal notices on rural bus services in Scotland at present? Am I to take it from Written Answers which I have received in the last week or two that, instead of doing anything to save these services in the meantime, the Secretary of State has chosen to shelter behind two pilot studies, in Devon and West Suffolk, set up by an English Minister?

§ Mr. Campbell
No, Sir; I am not sheltering behind anything. This serious matter is receiving the Government's urgent attention. I travel by bus a lot in the North of Scotland, apart from using other forms of travel, and I am aware of the usefulness of the rural bus services.