HC Deb 29 January 1964 vol 688 cc47-8W
27. Mr. Malcolm MacMillan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now invite Inverness County Council to discuss with representatives of his department the provision of a time-tabled vehicular ferry service between Berneray and North Uist islands.

Mr. Noble

My Department have already by letter sent on 15th January asked Inverness County Council for its views on the inhabitants' request for a car ferry to Berneray.

28. Mr. Malcolm MacMillan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the fact that Messrs. MacBrayne's new car ferry timetables provide for only two direct return services weekly between Lochmaddy and Uig, and no service to North Uist on Saturday or from North Uist on Monday, and that the daily bus services from Uig and Kyleakin, connecting with the Uist-Skye-Harris ferry service, are inadequate and, in some cases, end at Portree, if he will now instruct Messrs. MacBrayne to recast timetables to give the Uists and Harris a daily return service and the Uists and Harris a better and more frequent bus service to and from Uig and Kyleakin.

Mr. Noble

No. The approved timetable for the Skye-Harris-North Uist car ferry is designed to give the best service possible with the vessel at our disposal in the light of the traffic expected at Tarbert, Harris and Lochmaddy. The ferry and bus timetables will however be kept under review in the light of experience of their operation.