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Rural Scotland asked its opinion
17/07/2007
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead is to undertake a tour with a difference when he devotes his first summer in office to gathering and discussing the views and concerns affecting communities in rural areas.
Supported by his deputy, Environment Minister Michael Russell, Mr Lochhead will travel from Dumfries to Lerwick to host public meetings, take part in question and answer sessions, and gather communities' views on pressing rural, marine and environmental issues.
Senior civil servants and chief executives from various agencies, including Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), will also attend the public meetings to hear views and answer questions directly from the audience.
The information gathered during the 'listening tour' will help inform decisions on forthcoming priorities and policy formation.
The first public meeting hosted by the Cabinet Secretary is in Aberdeen on Thursday.
Full details of the 'listening tour' programme
Mr Lochhead said:
"This summer, I want to take the opportunity to engage directly with the people of Scotland and to hear first hand their views on how to shape our future.
"This will be a summer tour with a difference. Not only will we be out and about visiting various individuals and organisations on their home territory, we are calling on the public to join us in open forum discussions.
"We are genuinely keen to provide the public with the opportunity to put their concerns and questions directly to us. Along with our senior officials we want to hear the views of all parts of Scotland.
"As the Scottish government prepares for the new Parliamentary session, we want to arm ourselves with the concerns and opinions of communities.
"These views will be enormously valuable to us, and to our Cabinet colleagues, as we take forward our work to make Scotland a greener, wealthier and fairer, healthier, safer and stronger, and smarter place."
Full details of the 'listening tour' programme