§ 44. Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what extra incentives he will make available through the Highlands and Islands Development Board to offset the increase in transport costs consequent upon the provisions of the Transport Bill, in order to continue to attract industry to the Highlands.
§ Mr. RossMany of the provisions of the Bill will be of great benefit to Scotland and the Highlands and Islands in particular.
The Highlands and Islands Development Board has also a very wide and flexible range of beneficial powers, and I have no doubt that it will use them with increasing success, particularly in the field of industrial and economic development.
§ 64. Mr. G. Campbellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his estimates of the additional cost per year to the farming and forestry industries, respectively, in Scotland of the proposals in the Transport Bill.
§ Mr. RossNo useful estimate can be made at this stage since the effect of the provisions in the Bill will depend on the precise nature of the Regulations to be made once it has become law.
§ 65. Mr. G. Campbellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received to date about the effects in Scotland of the fees on abnormal loads proposed in the Transport Bill; and what replies he has sent.
§ Mr. RossI have received representations from 30 firms and six organisations. I have replied drawing attention to the fact that this subject is being examined at my request by the Scottish Economic Planning Council and to the promise80W made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport to consider in Committee what might be done to mitigate the effect of the charges on firms in development areas.
§ 70. Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has now considered, in detail, the practical effects of the Transport Bill on Scottish industry in general, and the north-east of Scotland in particular; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossYes, and I am satisfied that overall the provisions of the Bill will be of advantage to Scotland including the North-East.
§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place a copy of his Departmental report on the impact of the Transport Bill on Scottish industry in the Library of the House of Commons.
§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the calculations which led to his forecast of a four per cent. increase in the operating costs of freight vehicles in Scotland, and a one per cent. increase in the delivered cost of goods, resulting from the Transport Bill.
§ Mr. RossMy hon. Friend the Minister of State did not, in fact, make either of these forecasts. He said only that in the case of some vehicles covering low annual mileages the increase in road transport operating costs attributable to the road haulage charges proposed in the Transport Bill might be about four per cent. but that even then the increase in delivered costs might be expected to be less than one per cent. As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has said, the increase in operating costs would generally be of the order of 2½ to 3½ per cent.
§ Mr. G. Campbellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the total extra cost per year to local authorities in Scotland of the additional taxation proposed in the Transport Bill.