§ Mr. Bill WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now able to announce the outcome of the review of the operational areas for the business development scheme of the rural enterprise programme.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythI am pleased to announce today that the rural enterprise programme's business development scheme, which aims to help farmers and crofters develop new businesses, will now be extended into two additional areas of the Highlands and Islands. The new areas are Dunoon/Cowal, Oban/Lorn and Mid-Argyll/ Kintyre, and Badenoch/Strathspey and Upper Moray. Locally based project officers will be appointed as quickly as possible and I hope the first awards for approved projects in the new areas will be made by spring 1992.
The response to the BDS from the four existing operational areas of south-east Sutherland, West Ross, Lochalsh and Lochaber has been most encouraging, with some 30 projects already approved and many more under consideration. The REP offers generous levels of support and I am very pleased at the response so far. I hope that farmers and crofters in the two new operational areas will also respond positively to this opportunity which aims to 384W make agricultural producers in the highlands and islands more secure in the face of growing pressures to reduce agricultural support.