§ Lord Kilmanyasked Her Majesty's Government:
To what extent the depredations of midges are recognised as a serious obstacle to growth of the tourist trade in the Highlands and whether they are satisfied that sufficient funds and energy are being directed to combating this nuisance.
§ The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Gray of Contin)Midges are not confined to the Highlands or to Scotland and the problem is a seasonal one which affects some locations much more than others. The considerable growth of tourism in the Highlands suggests midges have not been a major obstacle to tourist development.
A good deal of money and energy, both private and public, has been directed towards combating the midge. Eradication is impracticable and we must ensure that control methods do not cause ecological damage. Repellents provide the best protection and the Highlands and Islands Development Board has recently approved financial assistance to a firm located in the Highlands which hopes to produce another, even more effective, repellent.