HL Deb 29 June 1965 vol 267 cc750-3

3.50 p.m.

Second Reading debate resumed.

LORD GREENHILL

My Lords, as is customary in your Lordships' House, the atmosphere in which Statements are made is as kind and uncontroversial as possible, and that tradition has been kept up, I would say, in the course of this particular debate. My noble friend Lord Hughes put the case for this Bill in a most reasonable manner. He explained, I hope to the satisfaction of all noble Lords, its purpose and how it will be achieved. Although there are one or two clauses which have aroused certain apprehension in Members of another place, may I say, without being too optimistic about it, that perhaps the purposes behind the clauses will be amply justified, even to noble Lords opposite, when they hear the explanations for them.

One thing which interested me was the Bill's aim, and that is the economic and social development of the people of the Highlands and Islands. In case any of your Lordships does not know what the area is as compared with other areas of Scotland, or with England, may I repeat these words from the Review of Highland Policy which was issued in 1959: These counties comprise some 9 million acres, nearly one-sixth of the area of Great Britain, or roughly 47 per cent. of the area of Scotland, with a population of 277,000, which is only about 5 per cent. of the Scottish total. The area includes over 100 inhabited islands and most of the country is extremely mountainous and barren. It later goes on to say: …the combination of sparse population and geographical disadvantages presents a formidable administrative and economic problem if the development of the Highlands is to keep pace with the progress that is being made elsewhere in the United Kingdom. That gives one a picture of the magnitude of the task which the new Board will face in trying to bring some kind of prosperity to that part of Scotland known as the Highlands and Islands.

If your Lordships should think that this is an unnecessary kind of promotion to adopt at this stage I would remind your Lordships that as recently as last Friday night there was a discussion on the B.B.C. radio which centred almost wholly on the transport problems in relation to the Highlands and Islands. That discussion was led by the lecturer in economics at the University of Strathclyde. I was deeply impressed not only by the ability of local men to express their views, both for and against the present set-up in the Highlands and Islands, but by the fact that even the criticisms of the State-aided shipping company, MacBrayne's, were answered in a way which was not aggressive but explanatory. But it obviously did not satisfy those local men who took part in the debate, regarding their concern for their livelihood, their businesses, and so on. Their objections, understandably enough, were that the routes were not frequently enough travelled, that cattle, grain, and so on, were neglected in their transportation, and that generally there was a source of annoyance and discouragement which they wanted to see corrected. The manner in which it was done must have impressed all who listened to the presentation of their case.

To-day we have the Bill before us, and the Secretary of State has been accused of being too dictatorial in his approach to the problem. One is pleased to see that there has been, not only in another place but in your Lordships' House, general support for the whole of the aim of the Bill, and there exists the hope that it will succeed in restoring a more viable atmosphere in those sadly depopulated parts where opportunities have not been present in the past. On the other hand, one should also bear in mind what was said by the noble Marquess, Lord Lothian, that one must remember that this part of Scotland has the loveliest scenery to be found anywhere. The land is not flat and uninteresting; the lochs and streams are an inherent part of the beauty and attractiveness of the country. People can live civilised, pleasant lives without being slaves (shall I say?) of industries which keep them fully occupied during the day but afford them little recreation after the day's work is done.

For this reason, I hope that this Bill will not industrialise the Highlands and the Islands. I hope that such industrial activity, agricultural work and forestry work as takes place there will be done without despoiling the native beauty of the country. I am not saying that there should not be industries there—that is, industries which are not associated with black smoke, dirt and so on. I do not say that we should have more Dounreay reactors in that part of the country, though I am not wholly against such things. I think that the Hydro-Electric Authority have done an amazingly good job in bringing light, warmth and power to a part of the country which previously did not have such provision, and I see no reason whatever to express any criticism of what they have done. Therefore, if we can possibly achieve it, we should all have much faith in the comprehensive economic proposals which the Secretary of State is now trying to promote in the Bill.

I would go further and say this. While what is nowadays called by the unpleasant name of "tourism" is so often encouraged—I think excessively encouraged—and although I have no objection whatever to seeing moderate groups visit those beautiful parts, I do not like to think that the purpose of encouraging people to come to see the beauty spots of the Highlands and Islands ought to be just that it brings in £300 million a year, or whatever the figure may be. We do, after all, want to see visitors as friends, as fellow citizens of different countries. But, much as we enjoy their presence in reasonable numbers, and when they behave reasonably, I hope that we are not going to have teams of people wandering about just gazing at those places and making them less pleasant for others. Without wanting to express any anti-tourism sentiments, nevertheless I suggest that we should keep the matter in proper perspective and not regard ourselves as people who want to get all they can from others because they are foreigners to our country and to our shores.

Objections have been made to the powers which the Secretary of State is taking upon himself, but, after a fairly exhaustive examination of the implications of the clauses in the Bill, I think that there is now general acceptance of what is intended to be achieved by them. I think there has been, for example, exaggeration as to the effects of the power to demand information from landowners. There is no sinister purpose behind that, although I agree that it should not be done wilfully: it should not be done with a view to taking advantage of the individuals whose businesses or lands are being examined. But I repeat that, on the whole, we should regard this—in the words of my noble friend Lord Hughes and others—as being part and parcel of maintaining a reasonable population in that part of the country, knowing that they will live the very happy and prosperous lives which all of us demand for the people who live there. It is time they had it.