§ Mr. Nairnasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) by what percentage it is estimated that the payment for the benefit of local authorities to be made by the South of Scotland Electricity Board under Part V of the Local Government Act, 1948, is likely to be increased when the Hunterston nuclear power station comes fully into operation;
(2) to what extent Ayr County Council would have benefited in 1959–60 from the payment made under Part V of the Local Government Act, 1948, had the Hunterston nuclear power station been in full operation in the preceding year.
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§ Mr. MaclayIt is estimated that by the time that Hunterston Power Station is in full operation, the annual sales of electricity in the South of Scotland district will have increased to 9,000 million units. On present rate poundages this would result in an increase of about 20 per cent. in the payment in lieu of rates by the South of Scotland Electricity Board; the additional sum payable to Ayr County would be about £10,000.
Since the sales of electricity depend on a number of factors, such as demand, besides the maximum capacity of individual stations, it is not possible to estimate realistically what would have been the effect is Hunterston was in operation in a past year.