§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the latest investment intentions with 623W regard to steel development at Hunterston.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldConstruction work is well under way on the Hunterston ore and coal terminal and orders have been placed for the two direct reduction plants which BSC intends to build there. The corporation's future plans also provide for the construction of an electric are steelmaking plant at Hunterston, as announced in our statement on the Scottish closures review in August 1975. The Government have declared their intention that Hunterston should be the location for the United Kingdom's next major integrated steelmaking complex on a deep water site, but it has always been made clear that this would arise in the period after BSC's current 10-year development strategy.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Industry what effect the recently announced cutback in public expenditure will have on proposed steel developments at Hunterston.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldMy right hon. Friend is discussing with the British Steel Corporation the share of the announced reduction in public expenditure for 1977–78 which will be borne by their capital investment programme, but I have so far had no indication that the developments at Hunterston will be adversely affected.