§ Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now seek to establish an oil development board with its headquarters in Scotland.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI announced on 16th January that a Scottish Petroleum Office is to be set up in Glasgow through which the new Offshore Supplies Office will discharge its responsibilities in Scotland. It will be part of the Scottish Industrial Development Office of my Department. Alongside the new office will be a new branch of the DTI Petroleum Division largely staffed with petroleum engineers. The total organisation will form an effective Scottish centre for stimulating industrial development relating to offshore oil, since it will bring together the Scottish Industrial Development Office, the Offshore Supplies Office in London and the DTI Petroleum Division. The new centre will work in the closest co-operation with the Scottish Office through the Scottish. Economic Planning Board and its new North Sea Oil Development Committee.