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The last full meeting of the Council of Economic Advisers was on 20 January 2012. There was also a special session of the council, which was attended by four council members, on 18 February 2012.

The next meeting of the Council of Economic Advisers is scheduled for 7 September 2012.

All hauliers using CalMac and NorthLink ferry services pay reduced fares due to the substantial subsidies paid to those companies under the terms of their contracts with the Scottish Ministers. In addition, certain further tariff reductions are available on a non-discriminatory basis.

CalMac Ferries Ltd provides a Traders Rebate Scheme which offers hauliers a rebate of up to 15% based on their utilisation of capacity aboard CalMac ferries, other than on the current RET routes (Western Isles, Coll and Tiree). Eligibility is based on frequency and volume of use on a route by route basis.

Discounts are also available for lorries carrying hay, straw or livestock, provided that the lorry is returning empty.

Significant additional financial support made available to all commercial vehicles, regardless of size, using routes to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree means that they receive between 25% and 45% discount, compared to the level of fares that would apply if RET had not been introduced. We have also extended RET to small commercial vehicles up to six metres in length for services to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree.

NorthLink Ferries Ltd operate a reduced freight rate for the weekend sailing from Aberdeen to Kirkwall. There are no haulier discounts, although all empty trailers are carried at a lower rate.

Increasing fuel prices clearly have had a significant impact on the costs facing hauliers serving our remote and island communities. This is an issue we have raised, and continue to raise, with the UK Government.

The following table lists cases with grant and loan funding to community energy projects located on the national forest estate. These schemes are operated by Community Energy Scotland and includes funding from the Community Renewable Energy Support Programme (CRESP) which comes via Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) funding which is direct from the Scottish Government.

Note: *No date of application known

There are some changes to the amounts shown in question S4W-05087. This new table includes payments made since the previous answer and corrects an error previously rendered. It also makes a clear distinction between funds approved and funds claimed or drawn down.

There were no changes to ownership of land between applications being made and funding approved.

Further checks have also indicated that two projects funded under CARES were for work not on the national forest estate at date of application or date of funding award, these projects are:

It will be for the Scottish Police Authority and the new Chief Constable to determine how the service is organised. However, there is considerable scope for specialist and support functions to be located throughout Scotland and I anticipate that the Scottish Police Authority and the Chief Constable will take account of that.

The Scottish Government has introduced legislation to the Parliament to establish a single Police Service of Scotland. The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill provides for the appointment of the chief constable by the Scottish Police Authority. Subject to the passage of the legislation, and the completion of the public appointments process, the chief constable is expected to be appointed by the Scottish Police Authority in the autumn.

The Scottish Police Authority and the Police Service will work with local authorities and others to set national and local priorities. Those will be delivered and measured through the strategic police plan for Scotland and the local police plans for each local authority area.

Within this framework, local authorities will be able to develop their own models of scrutiny and engagement, and the vast majority of them, including Highland Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Orkney Islands Council and Shetland Islands Council, are already involved in trialling these arrangements across Scotland.

Subject to the successful passage of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill, the intention is for the Scottish Police Authority to be appointed in the autumn. The bill currently provides that the Authority will have between seven and 11 members. The appointments process will be fair and open and regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, and members will be appointed on the basis of their skills and expertise.

The Scottish Police Authority will be accountable to Ministers, Parliament and the people of Scotland. The bill contains a number of provisions as to how this accountability will be achieved.