§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines exist for the declaration of business interests by the directors of local enterprise companies in Scotland; what interests they are required to declare; and what scrutiny procedure exists for these declared interests.
§ Mr. StewartThe local enterprise companies are required by their operating contracts with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to maintain a register of directors' interests; to make that register open for public inspection; and to have in place procedures designed to avoid potential conflicts of interest. The approval and monitoring of the local enterprise companies' conflict of interest procedures is an operational matter for the enterprise bodies and I have asked their chairmen to write to the hon. Member.