HC Deb 03 May 1995 vol 259 cc252-3W
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson

To ask the Secretary for Scotland what plans he has to recruit a chief executive and members for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and what costs may be associated with this exercise. [22729]

Mr. Lang

As the Environment Bill has received a Second Reading in the Commons, thereby indicating parliamentary support for the principle of the Bill, advertisements are being placed in the press for a chief executive and members of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The successful candidates will not be formally appointed until the Bill has received Royal Assent.

Parliamentary approval for the new service will be sought in a summer supplementary estimate for the housing and environmental services, Scotland vote, class XIV, vote 5. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £40,000 will be met by a repayable advance from the contingencies fund.

This expenditure is urgent because of the need to have senior personnel in place as soon as possible after Royal Assent so as to ensure that the agency is full operational from 1 April 1996.