after the 1959 general election leburn was brought into the government as under-secretary of state at the scottish office. he had specific responsibility for agriculture, forestry and fishing, which led him to intervene to try to solve a dispute between scots fishermen over the isle of lewis in 1961. the next year, he made it clear he was aware of the loophole whereby british fishing vessels could register in ireland. from september 1962, leburn switched responsibilities to planning, housing and industry. he encouraged the building of strategic bridges.