36. Mr. Baxterasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he gave, when consenting to the closure of the Forth and Clyde canal, to the necessity for the provision of new bridges over it.
§ Mr. NobleAn important factor taken into account by my predecessor was that the cost of new opening bridges and desirable replacements would amount to £2½million, of which about 90 per cent, would be saved if the canal were closed to navigation.