HC Deb 28 February 1991 vol 186 c574W
Sir Nicholas Fairbairn

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the establishment of "next steps" agencies within the Scottish Office.

Mr. Lang

I have decided that historic buildings and monuments in the Scottish Office Environment Department and the fisheries enforcement services in the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department should be established as agencies. I intend that this should be from 1 April 1991. The agencies will continue to be part of the Scottish Office and will be titled respectively Historic Scotland and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency.

Each agency will be headed by a chief executive to whom I shall delegate extensive management freedom to organise the work of the agency efficiently, effectively and economically in a way which produces the best possible results. The chief executive will work within a policy and resources framework set by me and will be responsible to me for meeting specific objectives and challenging targets. The staff of the agencies will remain civil servants.