Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place a consultancy research contract with the countryside interpretation unit, presently based at the Open university, Milton Keynes, as part of his Departmental programme to increase public environmental awareness of Scotland's natural ecology.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Scottish Office has no immediate intentions of placing a consultancy contract with the countryside interpretation unit. Research contracts are commissioned in keeping with the Department's research priorties and on the basis of competitive tenders, unless there are special reasons for inviting a single contractor. The Department will consider proposals for research relevant to its responsibilities in line with its established contractual procedures.