A first

This morning I launched a new course being offered by the SRUC in Rural Business Management, the first such course in Scotland to be accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The event took place in their premises in Manor Place and I was formally welcomed by Tom Barclay , the current Chairman of RICS Scotland. He pointed out that I was the first Scottish Government Minister to visit the building since devolution which seemed an extraordinary oversight considering how ubiquitous ministers can sometimes be.

So I was pleased to be the first and moreover found the people and the place very interesting. On the mantelpiece of the room in which I spoke there was this antique theodolite whose workings were explained to me by Keith Petrie , a former Chairman of RICS along with Tom , who with the RICS Director Sarah Spiers was most hospitable.

I hope to be back!