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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S4W-02015

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the support that will be offered through the (a) Enterprise Growth Fund and (b) Just Enterprise initiative will include (i) advice on and (ii) funding for employment and redundancy.

The Enterprise Growth Fund provides direct investment to third sector organisations to help ensure their long-term sustainability. This may include funding support towards employment costs, depending on the requirements of the applicant organisation. The fund will not support redundancy costs.

Just Enterprise provides business development support and advice to help enterprising third sector organisations move towards increased growth and/or financial sustainability. The support provided will be tailored to the individual needs of each organisation, and will include access to specialist advice if required.

Question reference: S4W-02012

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether applications for funding through the (a) Enterprise Growth Fund and (b) Just Enterprise initiative will be considered on a rolling basis or through application rounds.

The £4 million Enterprise Growth Fund will open to applications from third sector organisations on 29 August 2011. All funds will be fully allocated by the end of January 2012. Applications will be accepted until all of the funding has been allocated.

Just Enterprise will provide an ongoing programme of business development support to third sector organisations until 31 March 2014. Just Enterprise works closely with the network of third sector interfaces, Business Gateway, Scottish Enterprise and HIE to provide a comprehensive package of support to third sector organisations.

Question reference: S4W-02013

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for successful applicants to the (a) Enterprise Growth Fund and (b) Just Enterprise initiative will be delivered as a single grant or in instalments.

The contract to administer the £4 million Enterprise Growth Fund has been awarded to a consortium led by the Wise Group. Successful applicants to the Fund will receive their funding in instalments.

The Just Enterprise programme provides access to a free business support programme to enterprising third sector organisations in Scotland. The contract to deliver Just Enterprise has been awarded to a consortium led by CEiS.

Question reference: S4W-02016

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Enterprise Growth Fund will be extended beyond March 2012 if the funding made available has not be allocated.

Question reference: S4W-02014

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale will be for (a) considering applications to and (b) allocating funds from the (i) Enterprise Growth Fund and (ii) Just Enterprise initiative.

Question reference: S4W-02019

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 25 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what independent evaluation has been undertaken of the success of community land ownership and the contribution that it is making to community resilience and development.

Question reference: S4W-02021

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 25 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what average percentage of the full project costs in each project assessment committee area was or has been made up by Scotland Rural Development Programme grant in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011.

Question reference: S4W-01879

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 25 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to maximize the tourism potential of the 2014 (a) Commonwealth Games and (b) Ryder Cup.

VisitScotland’s international and domestic marketing campaigns successfully develop and support Scotland’s tourism potential, consistently enjoying strong levels of return on investment. VisitScotland’s was the Grand Prix winner at the National Institute of Promotional Marketing Awards in 2011.

We further plan to maximise the long-term tourism potential of the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup in 2014 by:

working with media to build worldwide perceptions of Scotland as an attractive destination to visit through extensive positive media coverage

building on Scotland’s ability to attract major events, visitors and spend to Scotland using new world class facilities and enhancing Scotland’s reputation as a world class venue for events

developing a wide-ranging programme for Homecoming 2014

tactical marketing to encourage people attending the events to take in more of Scotland and stay longer.

This activity will be supported by core marketing activity, including the successful Drive it Home campaign aimed at the golf tourism market, specific Homecoming 2014 marketing activity, by working with partners to ensure Scotland can provide an unforgettable visitor experience, and by positioning the country as a must-see, must-return destination.

Question reference: S4W-01892

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 25 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet the target of a 50% increase in tourism revenues between 2006 and 2015.

The Tourism Framework for Change strategy published in 2006 states that “current estimates suggest that gross tourism revenues could increase by 50% by 2015.” This ambition was based on the then currently available worldwide projections of tourism performance. Since then, we have experienced the worst recession of modern times.

Despite this, performance since 2005 (the baseline year) has held up, outperforming some of our main competitors in recent years. This is testimony to the great resilience shown by the industry in these difficult economic circumstances.

We remain committed to maximising tourism growth and to drawing new visitors to Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-01888

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 24 August 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to increase the number of tourists from (a) China, (b) south Asia, (c) the USA and (d) Canada.

Using the latest data on market trends, VisitScotland’s international marketing strategy aims to increase the number of tourists from China, South Asia, the USA and Canada through a range of carefully tailored activities such as dedicated PR programmes and trade/sales missions focusing on China and South Asia and also the “I am a Scot” and ancestral tourism campaigns which target the USA and Canada.