Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 16 December 1964.
Mr Russell Johnston
, Inverness
12:00,
16 December 1964
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he proposes to act on the recommendations of the Mackenzie Committee and make an interest-free loan of £8 million available to the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to enable them to bring electricity to those areas which still lack it.
Mr William Ross
, Kilmarnock
I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 11th November to my hon. Friend the Member for the Western Isles (Mr. Malcolm MacMillan).
Mr Russell Johnston
, Inverness
Is the Minister aware that delay in linking these areas which still lack electricity is a very serious social problem and one which deserves the most urgent treatment? Will he give me an assurance that he will take action on this matter as soon as is humanly possible, as this is a very serious social question?
Mr William Ross
, Kilmarnock
I have referred the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 11th November, which was that I should review the position in the spring. The £8 million was part of a package deal of the Mackenzie Committee. It was not accepted by the previous Government, and I doubt whether the Hydro-Electric Board liked the idea. It put forward a scheme to spend £6½ million over a period of six years. It may well be appropriate to look at this to see what is being done. I think permission was given to spend £550,000 to £600,000 over the first two years, and I shall be looking at this matter in the spring.
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