§ 46. Miss Herbisonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress in improving the environmental and transport facilities 127W of the special development areas in Scotland.
§ Mr. RossSince their designation in November, 1967, approval has been given for the building of over 1,200 local authority houses in the special development areas. At the beginning of 1968 investment of £1£5 million was added to the Scottish road programme for the improvement of roads in and serving the special development areas, and these areas also benefited from winter works programmes in 1968–69 and 1969–70, costing in total about £720,000. Capital expenditure on hospital building of over £220,000 and on water and drainage schemes of over £290,000 has been approved. Expenditure on school building includes £128,000 on the provision of the first phase of a new four-year secondary school at Sanquhar. Approval in principle has also been given to the expenditure of £10,000 on the clearance of a derelict site in the Shotts area.