§ Mrs. AdamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) agencies and (b)non-departmental public bodies have been located in Stirling in the last two years; on what dates decisions were taken to set up those bodies in these locations; and if he will list those agencies and non-departmental public bodies which will locate in Stirling in the next 12 months. [2801]
646W
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonNone of the agencies for which my right hon. Friend is responsible have located in Stirling in the last two years and there are no plans for any to do so in the next 12 months.
Of his non-departmental public bodies—NDPBs—the Red Deer Commission, which has its headquarters in Inverness, set up a small sub-office in Stirling in April 1995. The decision to do this was taken in the autumn of last year.
Over the next 12 months the Scottish further education unit will move to Stirling and the headquarters of the new Scottish Environment Protection Agency will be located there. These decisions were made following a thorough assessment of a range of options, and taking account of the policy in "Scotland in the Union" (Cm 2225) to seek opportunities for dispersal of NDPBs from Edinburgh and Glasgow where it is operationally acceptable and financially attractive to do so. They were recommended to Ministers by the bodies concerned and were approved in June and October 1995 respectively. Plans to locate the Scottish children's reporter administration in Stirling are currently under consideration.