§ Sir Russell JohnstonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the monitoring stations for the initial detection and measurement of radioactivity proposed for the Highlands and Islands to become operational.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonIt is hoped that the first group of new monitoring stations will begin to operate in the spring of 1988. These will be based largely on existing Meteorological Office sites throughout the United
260WKingdom, and will be supplemented by the monitoring capabilities of the existing nuclear sites. Precise locations of monitoring sites in the area of the Highlands and Islands have still to be determined.
§ Sir Russell JohnstonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects his discussions with the Council of Scottish Local Authorities about the dissemination of information and advice on radioactivity levels in Scotland to the public and to local authorities to be concluded; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonOfficials of the Scottish Office met representatives of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on 14 October this year and had a useful discussion of the detail of the proposed national response plan for nuclear incidents occurring overseas. They are now awaiting the convention's formal comments on the plan.