Rural Scotland People, Prosperity and Partnership

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The Scottish Office Programme of Expenditure

Support for local government in Scotland represents the largest call on all funds available to the Secretary of State for Scotland. Allocations to councils are calculated on the basis of need with account being taken of features such as remoteness and sparsity of population which are particularly relevant to rural areas.

Rural Scotland has benefited over the years from public expenditure per head which, reflecting need, is greater than that committed to urban Scotland. This was a conclusion of a study carried out in 19857 and the indications are that this broad picture is still true today. Some types of support of particular importance in rural Scotland have increased substantially over the past ten years, notably direct payments to farmers and crofters. It has been the Government's aim to ensure that public expenditure is directed to priority areas and policies where value for money can be demonstrated. One effect of this has been that resources have been directed towards rural areas in recognition of the special problems they face such as a sparse population, remoteness, and other indicators of disadvantage. We will continue to ensure that the needs of rural Scotland are taken fully into account in future decisions on public expenditure.

Scottish Water and Sewerage Authorities

On 1 April 1996, the three new Scottish Water and Sewerage Authorities will take over responsibility for these services from local authorities and the Water and Sewerage Customers' Council will be established to look after the interests of consumers. Rural customers have a special place in these arrangements. The new authorities have a statutory duty to have particular regard to the interests of rural dwellers; the Secretary of State, in making appointments to the Customers Council, will seek to ensure that rural interests are represented; and same duty applies to the Customers Council when it make appointments to the three committees which it will establish, one for each of the new water authority areas.

Collection of Commercial Waste

Rural Water and Sewerage Grants