HC Deb 31 January 1973 vol 849 cc1344-6
9. Mr. Lambie

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will pay an official visit to Hunterston.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

I have at present no plans to do so. I have examined the peninsula from the air and my hon. Friends the Under-Secretary of State for Development, Scottish Office, and the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry are visiting the power station on 9th February 1973.

Mr. Lambie

May I thank the Secretary of State for that reply? I hope that he will take the opportunity of accomping his hon. Friends when they visit the power station. Will he confirm that his attitude to the Chevron Oil Company's application has changed following its announcement this week that it is still interested in oil and petro-chemical developments in the Hunterston area?

Mr. Campbell

I was at the opening of the Hunterston A power station and I have always taken an interest in it. But I believe that in his supplementary the hon. Member was referring to the rest of the peninsula and possible development there, and that is something which is best examined closely from the air, which I have done. At present the main industry there is farming and the area consists mostly of fields. As planning Minister for Scotland I cannot, of course, comment upon the merit of any particular project. I can confirm, however, that I have just been informed that the Chevron Company wishes consideration to be given to a modified application, although I have no details of it yet.

Sir F. Maclean

On his next visit to Hunterston, where he is always most welcome, will my right hon. Friend land his helicopter, or whatever he comes in, and make a point of listening carefully to the views of the local inhabitants?

Mr. Campbell

I can assure my hon. Friend that in so far as my responsibilities as planning Minister allow me under the Acts, I take into account the views of all those concerned.

Mr. Douglas

Is the Secretary of State aware that, while we might welcome an oil refinery development at Hunterston, we are extremely perturbed about the attitude of BP at Grangemouth where the anticipated expansion of an additional 9 million tons capacity is being consistently held up? Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake to have an urgent meeting with BP officials to ensure that the expansion is in train before the development of the Forties field in 1975?

Mr. Campbell

I am aware that when BP revealed its pipeline proposals for the Forties field it said that it was considering expansion of its Grangemouth refinery. No doubt the company is also bearing in mind the possibility of refineries by other companies in Scotland.

14. Sir F. Maclean

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now publish the report of the Hunterston Development Corporation.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

The question of publication is essentially for the company itself and its consultants.

Sir F. Maclean

Surely this report was paid for out of public funds. Is not my right hon. Friend aware that both the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Lambie) and I are most disappointed at the delay in publication, because we both feel that we are proved to have been right all along?

Mr. Campbell

My hon. Friend appears to be anticipating the report. The Government for their part have assumed that the report will be published when it has been completed.

Dr. Dickson Mabon

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the report has been delayed because of the recent announcement by the BSC, which is a big factor in the matter of the positioning of future industry which the report was commissioned to evaluate? Can he say how many planning applications are before him in relation to the area covered by the Hunterston Development Corporation remit?

Mr. Campbell

I cannot give reasons why the report is not yet completed, but what the hon. Gentleman has said could well be one of them. On the second point, two applications are before me, one for the ore terminal and one for a refinery and associated industry.