§ Mr. MacArthurasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for continuing Government support for the industrial promotion work of the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) ; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellI am pleased to announce that I have offered the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) a grant-in-aid of £150,000 per year for the next three years to enable the promotional activities of its industrial group to be expanded.
The detailed conditions on which this grant will be paid are under discussion with the council. I am glad to say, however, that we are agreed on the principle that the money should be devoted to the continuation and strengthening of the valuable work which the council is already doing to co-ordinate the promotional efforts, particularly overseas, of the various regional development authorities in Scotland and to project them on an all-Scotland basis.
It has also been agreed that the effort in Europe begun by the Committee for European Investment in Scotland, which 243W has carried out essential ground work over the past three years, will continue and will in future be integrated with the world-wide effort which the council will now be able to initiate.