§ 24. Mr. Maclennanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that the benefits of the industrial development of the inner Moray Firth area are shared by East Sutherland.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellSutherland, like the rest of Scotland, is eligible to benefit from our new incentives for regional industrial development, and the Highlands and Islands Development Board takes every opportunity of assisting development in the county.
§ Mr. MaclennanIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that that reply is quite disgraceful and shows no evidence whatever that he is aware of the potential employment benefits in Sutherland arising from the oil industry and the aluminium smelter at Easter Ross? When will he give approval to the bridging of the Dornoch Firth? Do we have to wait years, until there is another Labour Government? [Laughter]
§ Mr. CampbellMany, many years—for the Labour Government. As the hon. Gentleman ought to know, I was one of the first to be aware of the potential of the Dornoch bridge and it was I who announced the bridging of the two firths to the south. I am surprised that the hon. Gentleman should have said what he did because recently I visited Nigg 382 Bay where the most northern development is taking place and it was he who recently objected to me to the new scheme for bringing employment to Tain.