§ Mr. Malcolm MacMillanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will investigate the deterioration of the Pentland road in the Isle of 171W Lewis, in view of the inconvenience and cost which the loss of use of this road has imposed upon the local community for whose use it was constructed as part of the economic and social development of the area embracing Carloway and Breasclete and other villages;
(2) from which representative bodies other than public authorities in the Western Isles he has received requests in the last four years for assistance with the cost of the reconstruction of the Pentland road, in the Isle of Lewis; and what was the nature of his replies;
(3) from which individuals he has received representations during the past four years regarding the need for reconstruction of the Pentland road in the Isle of Lewis;
(4) what requests or proposals he has received from Ross and Cromarty County Council in each of the last four years for special assistance in meeting the cost of the reconstruction of the Pentland road in the Isle of Lewis; and what was the gist of his reply on each occasion.
§ Mr. RossIn the past four years I have received representations about this road from the county council (in 1966 and 1967), Mrs. Elizabeth Perrins (in September 1960), Mr. Norman Maciver (in February 1969) and on several occasions from my hon. Friend. The replies sent to the county council regretted that the available funds were insufficient to permit a special allocation of maintenance grant to be made for the reconstruction of the road. Since the commencement of the grant arrangements under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1966, in May, 1967, entire responsibility for financing work on the road has rested with the county council, aided by rate support grant, and I could not appropriately intervene.