§ Mr. Kennedyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on current progress towards an 670W agricultural development programme for the Scottish islands, indicating the likely timetable of events and date of implementation.
§ Mr. John MackayThe ADP regulation was formally approved on 6 May by the Council of Minsters in Brussels. The way is now clear for wide-ranging consultations to be put in hand with interested parties on the detailed contents of the programme to be submitted to the European Commission.
Given the wide geographical spread of the islands included within the scope of the ADP and the diversity of agricultural conditions to be taken into consideration, the consultative process and the subsequent preparation of the programme will clearly be major and time consuming tasks. I envisage however that the ADP will be in operation before the end of 1987.