Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill yesterday defended the decision to close police and fire control rooms in Inverness as he visited the north to give more details about the future of the services.
But he sidestepped concerns over a lack of public consultation over the controversial proposals.
Existing staff from the police control room in Inverness will be given the opportunity to transfer to a new national information centre, being set up in the city to provide support for officers across the country.
Up to 10 extra jobs could be created in the office, which will be running by 2016.
There will also be 20-25 new fire service positions, supporting the “safer firefighter” programme, community safety and legislative fire safety.
However it emerged that the much-vaunted police command and control centre, allowing major incidents across the country to be handled from Inverness, will only be activated as back-up in exceptional circumstances.
Major emergencies will continue to be handled locally, with the Inverness incident room drafted in if there is a simultaneous event or other resources are stretched.
Special events, such as large music festivals like RockNess and T in the Park, could be co-ordinated from the north.
The new information centre will operate 24 hours a day, allowing staff to respond to inquiries from officers throughout Scotland, and taking over the 16,000-plus daily checks made on the police national computer, searching for background information about people and vehicles.
Mr MacAskill said that the changes were essential to ensure that the police had the best technology in place across the country.
He added: “Major incidents have to be managed by officers at the appropriate area – whether that is Glasgow or Edinburgh or wherever.”
Chief superintendent Val Thomson, head of contact, command and control, said: “Inverness is the only place that we can use to command incidents right across the country, if it is appropriate to do so.”
North politicians last night called for more details about the future centre.
Labour MSP for the Highlands and islands, David Stewart said: “The devil is in the detail. I am certainly going to be asking more questions to find out what this means for the Highlands.”
Highland Council member David Alston agreed: “We need to know the detail and see what this means.”
Some £2million will be invested in a new “asset resource centre” in Inverness housing specialist facilities for vehicles, equipment and information communication technology.
A new flood and water rescue facility is based in Inverness, supporting the whole of Scotland.