HC Deb 21 February 1973 vol 851 cc460-2
15. Mr. Douglas

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent plans have been submitted to him for the development of oil refineries in Scotland.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

I have recently received, through Ayr County Council, an application by Oil Refining Services International (ORSI) Ltd. to build a refinary at Hunterston of an ultimate capacity of 24 million tons per annum, with a marine oil terminal to accommodate four tankers.

Mr. Douglas

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, may I ask him whether he would not agree that it would be invaluable in the case of development of oil refineries in Scotland to undertake an impact survey when these refineries are proposed to see what effects such developments would have on the totality of the environment? Will he consult his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to be sure, in the case of these very speculative ventures, that money is very well tied up, and will he have an overall look at the prospects for Hunterston, not only in the light of the narrow oil refining prospects?

Mr. Campbell

I assure the hon. Gentleman on the latter point that such proposals are looked at from the point of view of Scotland as a whole. This is a planning matter. Therefore, I cannot comment on the merits of particular proposals. Under the planning Acts all considerations are taken into account. There are opportunities for objectors, and if there is disagreement the final decision must come to me to be taken in a quasi-judicial capacity.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

Is my right hon. Friend able to tell the House what would be the cost to the taxpayer in investment grants and subventions from the Industrial Development Executive for the ORSI plan and how many jobs would thereby be created?

Mr. Campbell

Not without notice, though I recognise that this is an important point. The kind of incentives and assistance which are now available under the Scottish Industrial Development Office are extremely helpful and not wasteful in their effects.

Mr. Ewing

This is a very important issue. Does the planning application contain an indication of the source of the oil that ORSI would refine if planning permission were given? For instance, would it be Gulf or North Sea Oil? This is very important.

Mr. Campbell

I was asked originally what recent plans had been submitted to me for the development of oil refineries in Scotland. I cannot give the hon. Gentleman all the detailed information, but I will try to do so if he cares to write to me about it.

Mr. Lawson

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider that this question might transcend the more limited question of the planning Acts as it is of such importance for Scotland and that it should be decided at his level, not on the basis of local considerations? Does he consider that Hunterston might be so important to Scotland over the years that this matter cannot be left to local considerations and that national considerations must transcend everything else?

Mr. Campbell

The hon. Gentleman is entirely right. He is echoing exactly my planning decision of over two years ago when I decided to open Hunterston for industrial development but said that each individual project must be submitted to the Secretary of State for approval. I think that covers the very point that the hon. Gentleman made.

Sir F. Maclean

Will my right hon. Friend tell the House how the siting of an oil refinery at Hunterston would be likely to affect BP's plans for the extension of its refinery at Grangemouth?

Mr. Campbell

No. I have noted some reports in the Press about it. My hon. Friend will have to consult the company about these plans.

Mr. Ross

First, bearing in mind that the Secretary of State has already laid down fairly detailed principles relating to developments at Hunterston, is it not true that further inquiries should not take so long? Secondly, and probably more important, does he realise that when his hon. Friend the Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) asked what the grants would amount to, he replied, "Not without notice"? May I take it that he will state the actual amount of grants in any individual case?

Mr. Campbell

The right hon. Gentleman knows that if I were asked a particular question I should have to consider how much was public and how much was private information. It has always been the practice of Governments regarding commercial information and grants not to reveal them. Of course, I should reveal to the House as much as was proper to be disclosed.