§ 1996. Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his Department's plans in relation to next steps agency initiatives for(a) 1994, (b) 1995 and (c)
§ Mr. LangI am now responsible for eight next steps executive agencies. The latest of these, the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, was launched on 5 April 1994. It is Government policy that all agencies should be reviewed some three years after their launch. I announced on 28 April 1994 that, following such a review, agency status should continue for the Registers of Scotland. The reviews of Historic Scotland and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency are nearing completion and I hope to make an announcement shortly on the outcome of those reviews. The triennial review of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency is due to be completed by April 1995 and those of the Scottish Office Pensions Agency, the Scottish Prison Service and Scottish Record Office by April 1996. I announced on 10 May 1994 that the Scottish Court Service, part of the Scottish Courts Administration, will be established as an executive agency from 3 April 1995. I have also announced previously that the Fisheries Research Services and the Roads Directorate are under consideration for executive agency status. I will make an announcement about their future in due course.