Oral Answers to Questions — Trade and Industry – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 July 1983.
Mr Archy Kirkwood
, Roxburgh and Berwickshire
12:00,
27 July 1983
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider establishing a new rural development area status as part of the development assistance scheme.
Mr Norman Lamont
, Kingston upon Thames
Assistance is already available to rural areas from the appropriate bodies in the different parts of Great Britain. The hon. Member's Constituency, for example, can obtain assistance from the Scottish Development Agency.
Mr Archy Kirkwood
, Roxburgh and Berwickshire
I thank the Minister for his reply. Is he aware that there is a growing body of opinion in Scotland that believes that the machinery available to the Scottish Development Agency is not appropriate to rural areas, whose needs are quite different from, but just as great as those of, the urban areas? Will the Government look at the problem again?
Mr Norman Lamont
, Kingston upon Thames
?: That must be a matter for the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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