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Rural Scotland: Taking Stock

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Contents

Introduction
Supporting Rural Economic Development
Breaking Down Barriers
Improving Access to Services
Sustaining and Making the Most of Our Natural and Cultural Heritage
So What Next?

July 1999, we made a commitment to 'support and enhance rural life, rural communities and the rural economy'. This commitment was reinforced by my appointment as the first ever Cabinet Minister with specific responsibility for rural development and our establishment of a cross-cutting Cabinet Committee to oversee the Executive's rural development work.

In May 2000 we published Rural Scotland: A New Approach, our vision statement for the kind of rural Scotland we were aspiring to achieve. A rural Scotland where everyone matters: every community, every family, every rural Scot. A rural Scotland that is integral to Scotland's success, thriving and providing opportunity and a high quality of life for all who live and work there. A rural Scotland where two of our most important assets - our natural and cultural heritage - are protected, enhanced and celebrated.

Our vision statement set out some of the steps we intended to take to turn our vision into a reality and to improve the lives of those across rural Scotland - from Shetland to Dumfries and from Angus to the Isles. Our approach has been to mainstream the needs of rural areas wherever possible, so that the needs of rural Scotland are not set-apart as something different or a 'special case' - but rather something that all departments, agencies and service providers should take seriously.

This first stocktake report sets out our achievements in making our vision a reality. It describes the progress that we have made and our key achievements. It also provides examples of how the policies and programmes that we have introduced have made a difference to those living and working in rural Scotland. I hope that you find it informative.

But this is by no means the end of the process. Good progress has been made on a number of fronts but there is still a great deal to be done if every rural Scot is to have access to the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential; if every rural family is to have access to the high quality services that they need; and if every rural community is to thrive. We will continue to monitor our progress towards the vision that we have set and to report on progress.

Ross Finnie MSP

Minister for Environment and Rural Development

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