§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he expects to announce the location of the secretariat for the administration of the highlands and islands objective 1 plan; how many personnel he expects to be employed within the secretariat; and when the appointment of the head of administration will be announced;
(2) what representations his Department has received regarding the location of the secretariat for the administration of the highlands and islands objective 1 plan; if he will give details of any submissions which have suggested locating the venture outwith Inverness district; and if he will give details of the submissions which have suggested locating the venture on an island.
Lord James Douglas Hamilton[holding answer 28 January 1994]: As part of the process of drawing up the highlands and islands objective 1 plan, the Scottish Office has had discussions with the various agencies involved about the possibility of establishing a programme executive within the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area. Those discussions have focused on locating the executive in the Inverness area, although not necessarily within Inverness district. There have been no formal submissions on the location, but in responding to the draft plan, the following suggestions were made:
Organisation Proposed location Sutherland District Council Sutherland Argyll and Bute District Council Oban Ross and Cromarty District Council Ross and Cromarty Western Isles Islands Council Western Isles/Stornoway Shetland Islands Council Shetland Strathclyde Regional Council Argyll and Bute Lewis Council of Social Service Western Isles Western Isles Objective 1 Group Western Isles An announcement about the appointment of the programme director will be made shortly. Under the terms of an interim agreement with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the director will be employed by HIE and his office will be located in their headquarters in Inverness.
682WOne of his initial tasks will be to prepare more detailed proposals for the functioning of the executive including staff numbers and their location.