HC Deb 30 June 1976 vol 914 cc376-9
10. Mr. Crawford

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to pay an official visit to Perth.

11. Mr. Fairbairn

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to pay an official visit to Kinross and West Perthshire.

15. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will pay an official visit to West Stirlingshire.

17. Mr. MacCormick

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will pay an official visit to Tarbert, Loch Fyne.

Mr. Millan

I have no plans to visit any of these places, but I visited Perth recently to address the STUC Annual Congress.

Mr. Crawford

When the Secretary of State gets around to visiting Perth, will he carry on up the A9 to Inverness? Is he aware that about 100 miles of that road are still not up to standards that would be acceptable on a similar road in England? The accident that happened the other day proves that. Given the cost of the upgrading of the extra 100 miles—about £1 million a mile—and the fact that that cost is equivalent to about 10 days' worth of the revenues from Scottish oil, the Scottish Office must get on with the upgrading of that road immediately.

Mr. Millan

I do not know where all these revenues are coming from, but they are being spent several times over practically every day by suggestions from Opposition Members. As for the A9, a stretch of the improved road was opened only this week by my noble Friend Lord Kirkhill.

Mr. Canavan

Is my right hon. Friend aware that West Stirling had a visit at the weekend from the SNP disguised as Scottish patriots at Bannockburn but that following pressure from the trade unions it has now adopted a new posture, a sitting-on-the-fence posture, with regard to the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Bill? As the SNP's former allies, the Tories, are now reported to be referring to SNP Members as "rats", is it not obvious that the Tories, who once objected to the late Nye Bevan referring to them as political vermin, now consider that term more appropriate for the SNP?

Mr. Speaker

Order. I do not like—nor does the House—terms of abuse applied to groups or individuals. As for particular types of animals or vermin, it is hard for me to distinguish. I know that the hon. Gentleman was asking a question, but I thought that there was an implication that people were not what they ought to be.

Mr. Canavan

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I was merely referring to reports of what Tories had said, according to Press Association reports this morning.

Mr. Speaker

Order. Sin does not become virtue.

Mr. Millan

After all that, I have forgotten the question. It seemed to be something to do with some fraternal or fractricidal argument taking place between the Conservative Party and the Scottish National Party. I do not want to intervene in that.

Mr. Fairbairn

When the Secretary of State visits Kinross and West Perthshire, he will get a very kind welcome. He will see a very great deal of prime agricultural land that is presently being built on around various towns and villages. In view of the necessity for agricultural land, will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that the terms of Circular 77/75 issued by his Department are carried out in all circumstances to the letter, to ensure that house building does not take place on flat, good agricultural land that is necessary for agricultural purposes?

Mr. Millan

The terms of that circular certainly stand. We wish to see them implemented. Some of these matters raise questions of planning applications, and so on, on which it is not really open for me to comment. I think that the particular instance that the hon. and learned Gentleman has in mind in his constituency is not, at least at present, a matter for me.

Mr. MacCormick

I am sure that you, Mr. Speaker, will appreciate my deep disappointment at the fact that the Secretary of State has not decided to visit Tarbert, Loch Fyne. In view of the disgraceful statement made on Monday by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about the disgraceful let-down of the whole fishing policy of the United Kingdom, let alone that of Scotland, will the Secretary of State reconsider his decision not to come to Tarbert? If he cannot now spell out exactly what fishing limit for the West of Scotland the Government have in mind with which to go into the negotiations, will he come to Tarbert, Loch Fyne, and tell the fishermen there exactly what limit the Government have decided for the West of Scotland?

Mr. Millan

There is a later Question on the Order Paper about fishing. I do not need to go to Tarbert to tell the fishermen of Scotland—

Mr. MacCormick

You do not dare to go to Tarbert.

Mr. Millan

—what I think about the present situation, because I met the representatives of all the Scottish fishermen's associations, not to mention the fishmongers and a number of other people, on Monday afternoon.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

As the right hon. Gentleman met representatives of the Scottish fishing industry on Monday afternoon, will he say what their reaction was to the Government's proposals?

Mr. Millan

We had—I know that this will disappoint the hon. Gentleman—a very amicable meeting.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

As the Secretary of State lives in my constituency, when he visits Edinburgh will he say what hope he can give to parents there that the education system will take account of their wishes regarding the choice of secondary schools? Is this entirely a matter for the administrators of education, who now outnumber teachers in Scotland?

Mr. Millan

The hon. Gentleman's latter observation is ridiculously inaccurate. I am sorry that a chartered accountant is not able to do his arithmetic properly. As regards the hon. Gentleman's other question, he has a Written Question on the Order Paper, and I think that it is marked for answer today. He will get an answer on that.