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1.9 pm
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. George Kynoch): I congratulate the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber(Sir R. Johnston) on securing this debate on the subject of Eigg, which is in his constituency. He has been on his normal form and most entertaining, but somewhat cynical in some matters.
I have considerable sympathy for the position in which the Isle of Eigg's residents find themselves. Small islands such as Eigg point up in an especially prominent way the problems facing many rural communities in the highlands and islands, where there is a need for all sections of the community to work together to common ends.
The Government wish to encourage such an approach, based on partnership between local residents and the main Government Departments, Government agencies, the local authority and private and voluntary bodies operating in the region. We believe that the way forward lies in promoting partnerships, not in introducing, as I suspect the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber might wish, new regulations on the purchase and sale of land.
Mrs. Margaret Ewing (Moray):
I am interested in what the Minister says because the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber (Sir R. Johnston) has raised a significant point. Is the Minister saying that the people of Eigg should have no legal redress? Surely, landowners' responsibilities should be matched by duties, and there should be some mechanism for legal redress.
Mr. Kynoch:
I hear what the hon. Lady says. I believe not in regulation but in deregulation. That is a significant difference between Conservative and Opposition Members. Clearly, the island's owner has a responsibility not only for the environment, but for looking after his asset.
May I just recap? As the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber said, Eigg is one of the group of islands west of Mallaig known as the small isles. Each island--Eigg, Rhum, Muck and Canna--has its unique features, different landownership and other characteristics. Each is outstanding for its scenic and natural heritage qualities.
Eigg's economy has traditionally been based on crofting, with some larger farms, forestry and inshore fishing. I am glad that, more recently, efforts have been made to increase tourism to that beautiful part of Scotland. The islanders have taken the initiative in developing new enterprises such as a tea room at the pierhead, craft goods and accommodation for visitors.
Mr. Charles Kennedy (Ross, Cromarty and Skye):
As the Minister mentions the efforts to promote tourism, which, as he rightly points out, are extremely important to the economy of fragile islands such as Eigg, may I draw his attention to the concerns of people on the Sleat peninsula on the Isle of Skye? Despite the fact that there is an improved service between Mallaig and the Isle of Skye, Caledonian MacBrayne's summer schedules do not allow people to make day trips to the small isles. The good efforts to promote tourism and to help the island of Eigg in that respect have been thwarted by Caledonian MacBrayne's inability to get its schedules in order. Will the Minister do something about that?
Mr. Kynoch:
As I think the hon. Gentleman knows, about 10 days ago I chaired a meeting of the Scottish tourism co-ordinating group in Inverness, where all the relevant interests associated with tourism meet regularly to discuss how they can work better together to ensure that we build on our remarkable success with tourism in Scotland. We are trying to ensure even better co-ordination on transport links both within Scotland and to Scotland so that we can build on that success, but I take on board the hon. Gentleman's comments.
It is important that we have good transport links, but, equally, it is important that we have good facilities for tourists when they get there. That is why I wanted to refer
to the moves by Eigg's population to build something to attract tourism to their island. On that front, I recommend that they work closely with the local enterprise company and with Highlands and Islands Enterprise to find out what assistance and co-ordination they can achieve in their efforts to achieve even greater success.
There is an active community life on the island. All that augurs well for the locally based economic and social development that we wish to promote through the partnership measures set out in the rural White Paper. The Government believe that there can be merits in local communities taking greater control over their own future, including in--
Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth and Kinross):
Will the Minister give way?
Mr. Kynoch:
I wanted to try to get through a response to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber and I understood that the tradition was that, if hon. Members wanted to intervene in an Adjournment debate, they should give notice in advance. I have not had prior notice and therefore I have been more than generous in having local interventions--the constituency of the hon. Member for Ross, Cromarty and Skye (Mr. Kennedy) certainly adjoins that of the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber.
Sir Russell Johnston:
Will the Minister give way on that point?
Sir Russell Johnston:
I am sorry to intervene. I say with some hesitation, but gently, to the Minister that we have 15 minutes left and I doubt whether he will take the whole lot. We have that time because the last debate ran short, so we should take advantage of that to allow other hon. Members to take part.
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Michael Morris):
Order. These are half-hour Adjournment debates and the traditions of such debates are exactly the same in the mornings as they are late at night. These are not the one-and-a-half hour Adjournment debates where there can be adequate interplay, but strictly half-hour constituency Adjournment debates.
Mr. Kynoch:
I follow what you say, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and shall proceed accordingly.
The Government believe that there can be merits in local communities taking greater control over their future, including, in some cases, by the purchase of land where they can raise the money to do so. The Government's crofting initiative, whereby the Secretary of State's crofting estates are available for sale to individual crofters or to crofting trusts, is a demonstration of that.
In the case of private estates, the Government do not favour compulsion or new regulations to intervene in the land market, but their agencies stand ready to assist local communities in particular circumstances--for example, where projects that are developed with the backing of local people merit priority. It is, of course, open to any community to bid to acquire an estate in the same way as any other party.
We are all aware that crofters in Assynt set up a trust to purchase the North Lochinver estate to ensure that its future development would be in their best interest. If the people of Eigg wish to follow that route, I wish them every success, but, as far as I am aware, the island has not been put on the market. I commend the islanders, however, because I understand that they are already looking to put together a funding package against the possibility that it is offered for sale.
The hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber made light of and was slightly cynical on the subject of raising funding. It is clearly not easy to raise funds, but I know that the islanders will benefit from the experience of the people in Assynt and that they have already, I understand, been in touch with the new Highland council. I hope that they will have included also Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Clearly, they need first to produce a business plan. I understand that they are well advanced in that, for which I commend them.
Mrs. Ewing:
Will the Minister give way?
Mr. Kynoch:
With respect to the hon. Lady, I understood what you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, said regarding Adjournment debates and, with the hon. Lady's agreement, I should like to proceed.
The hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber gave me some indication last night of the efforts of the former Highlands and Islands development board. I recall that the board developed plans in the late 1970s to intervene in the management of private estates where that management was regarded as being inconsistent with the interests of the wider community. However, such draconian powers have never been tested, and I do not think that they are the correct approach. The Government's approach is to encourage local communities to work in partnership with Government Departments, Government agencies, local authorities and private sector bodies. Such an approach is at the heart of the measures that were announced in our rural White Paper in December.
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