§ Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance has been received from the funds of the 89W European Coal and Steel Community towards the redevelopment of areas in Scotland affected by the plans for rationalisation of the steel industry ; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellI am pleased to announce that the EEC Commission has agreed to provide up to £45,000 from the funds of the European Coal and Steel Community towards the cost of a feasibility study for a major scheme of environmental rehabilitation and industrial redevelopment at Cambuslang. Although the British Steel Corporation has not yet announced any specific proposals, this is one of the areas already identified where rationalisation of production is likely to result in some loss of employment.
I have agreed with Glasgow Corporation and Lanark County Council that a joint official working party should be set up at once to produce, with the aid of consultants, detailed plans for the area's redevelopment. By this means work on the creation of conditions conducive to the attraction of new jobs will be well under way before any redundancies under the planned rationalisation programme begin to have effect.