§ 9. Mr. Andrew WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to meet representatives of the Scottish Development Agency; and what matters he proposes to discuss.
§ Mr. LangI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that my right hon. and learned Friend gave a few moments ago to the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke).
§ Mr. WelshWhatever organisational structures are chosen for Scottish Enterprise, will the Minister assure us that its strategic investment role will neither be diminished nor diluted? In the meantime, is it true that the Scottish Development Agency has lost between 15 and 20 per cent. of its staff and that the uncertainty regarding its future is causing a loss of morale and a loss of staff? That is bad for Scotland. When will the Minister take action on those matters?
§ Mr. LangWe have given consideration to such matters as the strategic investment role of the Scottish Development Agency in the context of the submissions that we have received during the consultation period on Scottish Enterprise. Whatever the staff of the SDA may be doing in some parts of Scotland, they must be extremely busy in the hon. Gentleman's constituency because they have to consider the Arbroath project, the Carnoustie golf-related initiatives, the Perth area partnership, work in Brechin converting the Denburn works, the north Angus economic review and the Dundee waterfront project.
Mr. Robert HughesAs the Secretary of State accepts the great importance of communications so that different parts of Scotland can benefit from the Channel tunnel, will he join me in deploring British Rail's resistance to the electrification of the east coast line between Aberdeen and Edinburgh? Will he encourage his right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State to put as much pressure on British Rail about this as did the Prime Minister about Kent, to make it change its mind as fast as possible?
§ Mr. LangThat must be a commercial decision for British Rail, although I note the interest and concern felt in that part of Scotland about this matter. This is not a matter for the Scottish Development Agency.
Mr. Andy StewartWill my hon. Friend join me in welcoming the two recent reports which lavished praise on the Scottish economy? The Westminster bank said that it was the best in the United Kingdom, and the Fraser of Allander Institute said that it was performing in line with Tory philosophy.
§ Mr. LangMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. He will have seen the recent index of production and construction, which showed that in the manufacturing, production and construction sectors, the Scottish economy is performing better than the rest of the United Kingdom.