HC Deb 12 February 1975 vol 886 cc356-7
9. Mr. Galbraith

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will be in a position to announce his intentions with regard to the proposed underpass system on the Great Western Road, Glasgow.

The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Mr. Bruce Millan)

No proposals on this have yet been submitted to my right hon. Friend by Glasgow Corporation.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

rose—

Mr. Galbraith

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. If there has been some mistake in the printing of the Order Paper, I am sorry, but we are now on Question No. 9.

Mr. Galbraith

When proposals are submitted to the Minister by Glasgow Corporation, as I understand may soon be the case, will he bear in mind that because of the economic situation it was decided to abandon the Channel Tunnel? Will he also abandon the tunnels which it is intended to construct in my constituency, since they will be costly and ugly, and since no one in the constituency or that part of Glasgow wants them? Will the Minister please be a democrat, listen to public opinion, and try to save money?

Mr. Millan

As I have explained, we do not yet have the proposals before us and therefore I cannot comment upon them. In any case, with the new local authorities coming into operation in May the scheme is likely to be subject to a decision by the Strathclyde Region as well as by Glasgow Corporation. Once that decision has been taken we shall be able to consider the question of priority.

Mr. Buchan

In the event of the scheme going ahead will my hon. Friend bear in mind that there are a large number of fee-paying schools in that area, and that if what we have seen this afternoon in the confusion over Questions has arisen out of education at fee-paying schools he will need to give very clear instructions about the underpass?

Mr. Millan

I take note of what my hon. Friend said.