Chamber and committees

Question reference: S1W-00164

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 22 June 1999
Current status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 June 1999

Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to recognise the importance of rural areas and to ensure that rural development is given a high priority over the next four years.

Answer

Rural development will be one of the Executive's top priorities but real progress will only be achieved if there is an integrated approach at the highest level. Accordingly, a Ministerial Committee reporting to the Cabinet has been established with the task of furthering the economic, environmental and social development of rural Scotland. The members of the Committee are:

Ross Finnie, Minister for Rural Affairs (Chairman)Sarah Boyack, Minister for Transport and the EnvironmentAlasdair Morrison, Deputy Minister for Enterprise in the Highlands and Islands and GaelicJohn Home Robertson, Deputy Minister for Rural AffairsJackie Baillie, Deputy Minister for CommunitiesAngus MacKay, Deputy Minister for Justice.

Other Ministers will be invited to take part as necessary. My Ministerial colleagues and I are talking to a range of rural interest groups and the work plan of this Committee will be drawn up in the light of those discussions.

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