§ 12. Mr. Lambieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive a copy of the final report by international consultants commissioned by the Hunterston Development Company to examine the feasibility and viability of Hunterston for commercial and industrial development.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe consultants appointed by the Hunterston Development Company have submitted the first part of their final report. The full report will be completed shortly and will then be studied by the company and the Government.
§ Mr. LambieIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that most people in Scotland regard the Hunterston Development Company as a Tory Party front organisation designed to get the Secretary of State off the hook concerning industrial development at Hunterston? Will he guarantee that we will get the final report before the Government make their final recommendations on the future plans for British steel? Will he guarantee to the House that he, as Secretary of State, will stick to his original promise and bear in mind that we want a British Steel Corporation integrated steel unit in Hunterston and nothing else?
§ Mr. CampbellAs I explained before, my promise has been that Hunterston will be used for the best possible purposes for Scotland. That is what I have been saying for three and a half years. The problem is finding the best industries in combination for Scotland to go there. The hon. Gentleman's version of the Hunterston Development Company is, I must says, a very new and most extraordinary one.
Mr. Edward TaylorIn considering the future of Hunterston, will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that unless we can continue to have a wide range of steel products manufactured in Scotland, we could be hit very hard by the new Common Market pricing system?
§ Mr. CampbellApart from what the hon. Gentleman has said, referring no doubt to the basing point system, I recognise that it is one of the important factors that the steel-using industry in Scotland should have supplies and that there should, so far as possible, be a balanced steel industry as my hon. Friend has indicated.
§ Mr. RossThe right hon. Gentleman will appreciate that the Scottish Office has a financial concern here. There has already been an interim report. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that we asked for its publication and we were advised—I think I have a letter from the Prime Minister to this effect—that it would be inappropriate to publish it at that time but an assurance was given that a final report would be published? Is that still the case?
§ Mr. CampbellWe have assumed that the final report will be published. The 1275 Hunterston Development Company has views on this, and those views will have to be taken into account.