§ The Earl of Strathmore and KinghorneMy Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a third time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read a third time.—(The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.)
On Question, Bill read a third time.
§ The Earl of Strathmore and KinghorneMy Lords, I beg to move that the Bill do now pass.
Moved, That the Bill do now pass.—(The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.)
§ Lady Saltoun of AbernethyMy Lords, I cannot let this Bill pass without saying a few words of welcome. The improvements to the harbour which are due to start next month and which the harbour commissioners are empowered to carry out by Part III of the 921 Bill include a dry dock facility and harbour deepening which will make possible the building of a pelagic fish processing plant. The jobs which those will provide will contribute materially to the prosperity of the port and town.
The harbour commissioners, of which I am one, are much indebted to both the present and previous Secretaries of State, to the noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde and to the noble Earl, Lord Strathmore and Kinghorne, for piloting the Bill through this House and making sure that it did not get lost in the Christmas rush. Most of all we are indebted to the noble Lord, Lord Sanderson of Bowden, when he was Minister of State, for the enormous amount of trouble and interest that he took and above all for squeezing out of the Treasury the necessary grant to pay for the works.
§ The Earl of Strathmore and KinghorneMy Lords, I thank the noble Lady for her kind comments.
§ Lord Carmichael of Kelvingrove; My Lords, I too should like to say a few words. This Bill has gone through all its stages fairly quickly, as it should because anything that will improve the prosperity and work at Peterhead harbour must be very welcome. The noble Lady will be more aware than most of us that Peterhead is in a very difficult stage just now. That has nothing to do with the harbour. The problem arises much further afield. I hope that in every way possible the Bill will make Peterhead again one of the great ports for fishing in the United Kingdom.
§ The Earl of Strathmore and KinghorneMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his comments.
On Question, Bill passed.