§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes in organisation of the Scottish Office are planned in consquence of the transfer to him on 1st July 1975 of ministerial responsibility for regional selective assistance to industry in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. William RossIn addition to the functions of regional selective assistance the transfer of which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 20th December 1974, I shall also be assuming on 1st July 1975 the Secretary of State for Industry's current responsibilities for Government factory building in Scotland and for the Scottish Industrial Estates Corporation, together with the closely related functions of industrial steering and promotion. This change 491W is being made in preparation for the transfer of the functions of the SIEC to the Scottish Development Agency under the legislation at present before Parliament.
In order to provide administrative support for the responsibilities to be transferred to me on 1st July the whole of the Department of Industry's office for Scotland, which has about 160 staff, will become part of the Scottish Economic Planning Department from that date. There has been and will continue to be consultation with staff interests over the arrangements for this transfer. The staff involved will continue to be located in Glasgow and will continue to perform—without any change in ministerial responsibility—certain functions currently carried out on behalf of the Secretaries of State for Industry, for Trade, for Prices and Consumer Protection and for Energy. The Regional Development Grants Office, which is a separate organisation, will remain part of the Department of Industry.
The transfer of these responsibilities from 1st July, which represents a further increase in the devolution of decision-taking in industrial matters to Scotland, will enable me to proceed towards the establishment of the Scottish Development Agency and gives me the powers I need to guide and support its work.