Orders of the Day — Hydro-Electric Development (Scotland) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 29 January 1952.

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Photo of Mr Hector Hughes Mr Hector Hughes , Aberdeen North 12:00, 29 January 1952

The House will probably come to the conclusion that the speech of the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Sir D. Robertson) was of a rather carping character about a good Bill, which I can commend in view of the fact that it is well designed for the purpose for which it is intended. I support this Bill, and I think that the £200 million is not disproportionate to the very good work which is being done by the Hydro-Electric Board.

The purpose of the hydro-electric scheme is to bring light, heat and power to the North of Scotland, and the House will agree that it has done a good deal to improve the lives of the people there. One thing which is not being done I should like to suggest to the House, though I do not do it in any carping way. The success of this Board is largely due, notwithstanding what has been said by the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland, to the devoted skill of men, who have spent their lives in its work, and notably Mr. Thomas Johnston. It is idle for the hon. Member to deny the success of this Hydro-Electric Board in the sphere in which it has operated.

The suggestion that I have to make is that hydro-electric power should be used for transport, which is a crying need in the North of Scotland. One of the great needs there is quick, cheap and effective transport. It seems to me that the electricity provided by the hydro-electric scheme might fairly be applied to the transport system of the North of Scotland. To put it shortly—I think the railways of the North of Scotland should be electrified. The North of Scotland suffers greatly through its geographical position; it suffers greatly because of the freight costs; and it suffers greatly because the products of that area have to be brought at great expense to the South, there to compete at high freight charges with the products of the South. The fish of Aberdeen, for instance, has to compete with the fish of Grimsby and Hull, which are very much nearer to the large consuming centres.

If the railways of the North of Scotland were electrified by the power from the hydro-electric scheme, that would do a great deal to assist trade and industry in the North of Scotland, and would be an appropriate use to which to put that electricity. I support this Bill, and I would support a Bill which would much more generously put funds at the disposal of the Board for the aim I have just ventured to adumbrate.

It may be said that this is not the time to electrify the railways. When is the time? I say this is the time to save coal; to provide transport facilities for our fish and agricultural products in the North of Scotland; to develop Scottish markets, and to populate or re-populate the Highlands. If this is not the time for that when is the time? Will that time ever come? It is revelant for me to make the suggestion to the Board through this House that some of the added funds which will be acquired under this Bill, and possibly under another Bill at a later date, should be applied to this desirable end.