Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

MP's questions on Hunterston

From ?The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald? dated Friday 3rd March 1972

MP'S QUESTIONS ON HUNTERSTON

In the House of Commons last week Mr. David Lambie, MP for Central Ayrshire, asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he had made of the global sum necessary for the provision of the iron ore terminal at Hunterston.

Mr. Gordon Campbell replied that this was a matter for the British Steel Corporation, which had announced the cost as ?26 million.
Mr. Lambie said that if the Hunterston terminal was to go ahead the money must be supplied by the Government, directly or indirectly. He asked Mr. Campbell for an assurance that the Government would provide the necessary finance to give the necessary boost to the Scottish economy.

Mr. Campbell said he had given Mr. Lambie the estimate for which he had asked. The project formed part of the BSC capital investment programme for which the Government made loans available in the normal way.
The Clyde Port Authority had not, so far, made an application to the Department of the Environment for approval of loan assistance for its share of the project.

Sir Fitzroy Maclean, MP for Bute and North Ayrshire, asked Mr. Campbell what would be the extent of the terminal and the connected installations and would he see that everything possible was done to preserve the amenities of the area.

Mr. Campbell said he could not, in a short reply, tell the extent of the new installation but he assured Sir Fitzroy that it was his intention, as the Minister responsible for the environment in Scotland, to do all he could to protect environment while encouraging desirable industrial development.