§ Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the development of Peterhead Harbour of Refuge for North Sea oil purposes.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellI have today published a Bill to enable me to undertake developments at Peterhead Harbour of Refuge or to authorise developers to do so subject to my approval. The Bill gives the Secretary of State powers to develop harbours where he is harbour authority—this includes Uig, Skye as well as Peterhead—but the only development expected is at Peterhead. A number of developers are interested in obtaining facilities at Peterhead for servicing North Sea oil rigs and urgent works are needed if the new oilrigs coming into operation next year are to be serviced from Scotland. The Departments concerned and the National Ports Council are having urgent discussions with prospective developers, as well as the planning authority and the trustees of the fishery harbour, to ensure that development takes place in an orderly fashion.
In undertaking or authorising development I shall apply the same criteria of commercial viability as are applied to harbour projects approved under Section 9 of the Harbours Act, 1964.
Full consultation is being undertaken about proposed developments which it is hoped will clear material objections in advance but I will, if necessary, invoke the standard procedures for hearing objections.