§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he refused to meet representatives of Fife industrialists to consider the future of the county on the proposed reconstruction of local government.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellFollowing the publication of the White Paper in February, 1971, I agreed to an extended period of consultations about the future of Fife after which I announced my conclusions on 22nd December. This request from representatives of certain firms for a meeting came several months later and it would be misleading and confusing to appear to be starting the process of consultations again.
It is nearly three years since the Wheatley Commission made unanimous recommendations on the regional structure, which the Government have accepted, and the Scottish office of the Confederation of British Industry gave 102W their general views on them nearly two and a half years ago.