HL Deb 09 March 1971 vol 316 cc9-11

2.51 p.m.

THE EARL OF GLASGOW

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why, if the deep water of the Clyde estuary is unique in Europe, it is proposed to allow it to be exploited by an American oil company rather than for the direct benefit of Scotland.]

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, planning applications are considered on their merits, irrespective of their country of origin. The proposal by the Chevron Oil Company, to which the noble Earl presumably refers, is still the subject of public inquiry and I cannot discuss its merits.

THE EARL OF GLASGOW

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that the site chosen for the oil refinery will displace 30 families, interfere with four extremely profitable farms and pollute an entire beautiful section of the Clyde coast which has a growing tourist industry? Does she really believe that this is in the interests of Scotland, when it is for the benefit of an American oil company?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I hope my noble friend's prognostications will not be fulfilled so far as pollution is concerned, because there are very tight arrangements regarding pollution control. The Question refers to the deep water of the Clyde estuary as being unique in Europe, and not only the oil refinery, but the other industries which have been mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Hoy, would have great social and economic benefits for Scotland were it possible to attract them here.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, further to the Answer of the noble Baroness, and as the Scottish home market for oil fuels is already catered for, so far as one can see, for many years ahead by existing refinery provision, can she say, first of all, what balance-of-payments advantage is expected to accrue from the export of surplus products of a refinery of the order of 3 million tons capacity a year? Secondly, can she say what she expects will be the indirect employment spin-off arising out of a refinery which itself will employ only a couple of hundred people? No doubt it will produce petro-chemicals as well.

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, at the inquiry, the reporter, Mr. Keith, Q.C., accepted that an immediate benefit of £18 million would accrue to the balance of payments. There was some dispute as to what the continuing benefit would be. Regarding future developments in Scotland as a whole, I understand that the Department of Trade and Industry took into account the proposed expansion of that Grangemouth Refinery, and they have, of course, circulated this memorandum to all the interested parties to whom I have already referred.

LORD HOY

My Lords, would the noble Baroness remember that these people want facilities in the Clyde which are not available elsewhere, and simply to put a test of nationality on people who want to come in ought to be frowned upon in Scotland? No hotelier in Scotland will refuse custom simply because the applicants are American.

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I am grateful for that question, because it is perfectly true that in Scotland we have been able, happily, to attract a good deal of overseas investment, and we hope to attract more.

LORD HUGHES

My Lords, will the noble Baroness bear in mind that while there may be a few people with a sincere but nevertheless vested interest in keeping industry out of this area, as my noble friend Lord Hoy has pointed out, there are 118,000 people in Scotland with a vested interest in getting industry into the area?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, that is exactly the kind of consideration which exercises my right honourable friend, but he has first of all to receive the planning application.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, could the noble Baroness answer the question which I asked before, namely, what she would expect to be the indirect employment spin-off from a refinery of the scale envisaged, employing only about 200 people directly?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I am sorry if I did not answer the entire question in detail. I do not think I could answer the last part of the question, because it has been estimated that there would only be about 375 people directly employed, and I am not yet in a position to consider the results of a petro-chemical complex as a whole.