HC Deb 21 June 1972 vol 839 cc461-3
22. Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the speed of planning permission in connection with the development of North Sea oil.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

I am glad to record that when firm applications have been submitted the procedures for planning permission have operated quickly and smoothly. Examples are the production platform projects at Nigg Bay and Ardersier which are likely to produce several hundred new jobs each.

I asked local planning authorities in March of this year to give priority to planning applications for new industrial projects.

Mr. Sproat

While I welcome that reply and the Government's generous grants and loans for the improvements of harbours in the North-East, is my right hon. Friend satisfied that his Department has all the powers it requires for the implementation of oil development decisions, and is he satisfied with the co-ordination between his Department and other Departments?

Mr. Campbell

I do not think I shall ever be satisfied with the degree of success or co-ordination. I never am. But I am pleased that we have been able to react to the many and various problems which have arisen, such as the obstacle which has appeared at Peter-head arising from an 1886 Act.

Mr. Ronald King Murray

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that speed is not the only factor? Will he give an undertaking that, other things being equal, preference will be given to those projects which hold the promise of permanent new employment in Scotland?

Mr. Campbell

I agree that speed is not everything, but there are so often complaints about delay that it is satisfactory that in the oil developments there has been no reason for such complaint.

Mr. Maclennan

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the speed of planning procedures by the local authority in Ross and Cromarty bears very favourable comparison with the speed of the Scottish Office and particularly of himself in recognising the advantages which would accrue to the development of that area by bridging the Dornoch Firth?

Mr. Campbell

The hon. Gentleman does not know his facts, because it was through my accelerated planning permission under Section 8 procedures that two of the developments took place so quickly.

25. Dr. Dickson Mabon

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what communications he has had recently, on matters of Government policy concerning the development of North Sea oil, with Sir William McEwan Younger.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

None, Sir. But I attended in February the Scottish Council Oil Forum in Aviemore arranged by Sir William.

Dr. Mabon

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Sir William, perhaps inadvertently, has done a public service by making his four serious criticisms of the Government? Since the Prime Minister chose to understand one and reject it and misunderstand another and distort it yesterday, will the Secretary of State get in touch with Sir William in order to get the text of his accusations? Will the Secretary of State himself now answer the main proposition, as I see it, and tell us why the Government continue to be quite illogical by largely leaving the development of North Sea oil, and in particular what is done to that oil and natural gas when extracted, to the complete and unhampered discretion of those responsible for its extraction"? I may point out that those were the words used by Sir William.

Mr. Campbell

I have had for some days the text of Sir William's statement. The interesting thing is that some of the Press reports are unrecognisable as reports of his speech when one sees the text. In welcoming certain action taken by the Government, Sir William said that it would have been better if it had been done a few years ago, which can only be a criticism of the last Government. I remind the hon. Gentleman that it is only seven months since the first public statement that oil was available in commercial quantities. That statement was by BP, which announced that it intended after exploration to go ahead with commercial action in extracting the oil. This is a very costly, high-risk exploration.

Mr. Sproat

Would my right hon. Friend agree with Sir Wiliam that so far too much Scottish business and industry is taking too little of the great opportunities offered by North Sea oil?

Mr. Campbell

I read with interest the criticisms which Sir William constructively made of British industry and Scottish industry. He also made some comments about the licensing system and whether conditions should be attached. That matter was fully discussed at the end of February at the Aviemore forum by representatives of the interested parties. The hon. Member for East Stirlingshire (Mr. Douglas) was there, so he knows. I also remind him that there was a time a few months ago when he said that I never made a speech without publicly drawing the attention of Scottish industry to the oil developments and their potential.

Mr. Ross

But what does the right hon. Gentleman intend to do about Sir William's criticism of the Government? Do the Government intend to do nothing?

Mr. Campbell

If the right hon. Gentleman reads the text of Sir William's speech, he will see that these critical comments were with a whole lot of much stronger criticisms of industry in general. As far as I am concerned, I intend to go on doing as much as I can to get Scottish industry involved. If the right hon. Gentleman saw Sir William on television last Friday night, he will no doubt have heard him saying that the Secretary of State for Scotland had done a splendid job.

Dr. Mabon

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.