What instructions or guidance was given to officials by any current or former Minister regarding the implementation of the decision to allo…

Highland Council wrote in December 1998 to the Scottish Office Minister for Housing, Transport and European Affairs requesting permission to erect road signs in Gaelic and English throughout its area.No decision had been reached on the request prior to 1 July 1999, when the Scottish Executive assumed its full powers. I considered the matter and instructed my Private Secretary to write to Highland Council indicating that I was not minded at that time to grant this permission. That letter issued on 20 August.Following representations from and useful discussions with Highland Council on 4 October I decided to permit the Council to erect bilingual directional traffic signs on local roads throughout its area. I wrote to the Council to that effect on 6 October.