- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 31 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the effect has been upon the oil and gas fabrication industry of the review conducted by Her Majesty's Government between 1997 and 1998 of the tax regime on oil and gas in terms of (a) employment impact within the industry (b) economic impact and (c) deferral of investment by oil companies.
Answer
Both the tax regime and the regulation of the oil and gas industry are reserved matters.
The Scottish Executive is fully aware of the problems facing the fabrication industry, not only in Scotland but throughout the rest of the UK and indeed Europe, and of the impact of this on employment and the economy. The Oil and Gas Industry Task Force, on which the Executive is represented, has set up a group to look urgently at these problems, which are largely structural. They arise from changes, such as the much smaller field sizes currently being exploited as the UK Continental Shelf moves towards being a mature province, and from developments in production technology, including sub-sea technology.This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 30 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3922 by Susan Deacon on 14 April 2000, when it expects the report on the safety of fluoridation by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at York University to be completed and whether it will place a copy of the findings in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre once received.
Answer
It is expected the report will be published in September. I shall arrange for a copy to be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 25 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the #233,000 extra funding for Northern Constabulary is for the current year only, or is an ongoing spending commitment year on year.
Answer
£433,000 was allocated to Northern Constabulary as part of the Scottish Executive's recent additional investment of £8.9 million in Scotland's police forces. It was provided primarily to allow recruitment of more police officers. The increase will be taken into account in arriving at allocations for future years.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 25 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of government funding to be made available to Northern Constabulary in each of the next four financial years.
Answer
Spending Review 2000 is presently examining overall funding requirements for 2002-03 and 2003-04. No decisions have yet been taken on the level of funding to individual police authorities for future years.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 25 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what efficiency savings Northern Constabulary has to make as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Answer
The 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review concluded that the police service in Scotland should make efficiency savings of 1% in 1999-2000, 1.7% in 2000-01 and 2.5% in 2001-02.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5993 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 May 2000, whether, prior to the launching of the Code of Good Practice on rural land ownership, it will consult with the Rural Affairs Committee.
Answer
Yes. Before the Code of Good Practice on Rural Land Ownership is launched later this year, we intend to show a copy, in draft, to the Rural Affairs Committee.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 21 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in considering its future policy directions to the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) on the distribution of Lottery funding, it will investigate the level of financial assistance received from the Fund by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB); whether it will instruct the NHMF to give priority to any future RSPB applications for NHMF funding or whether it will instruct the fund to give priority to any particular other organisations over any RSPB applications; if so, which organisations and whether these organisations will include farmers in Islay.
Answer
It would not be appropriate to make provision in policy directions in relation to particular organisations.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 14 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will promote the use of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) in the Highlands and Islands and, if so, (a) how it will do this; (b) what assistance it will provide to meet the cost of converting motor vehicles to use LPG; (c) what it estimates the average cost of conversion per vehicle to be; (d) how many car owners it estimates would incur such a cost; (e) how many such car owners it estimates would be below-average earners, and (f) whether policy in this area will address any difficulties faced by people in the Highlands and Islands resulting from the high cost of fuel.
Answer
The Scottish Executive promotes the use of alternative fuels through its funding of the Energy Savings Trust's "Powershift" cleaner vehicle fuels programme and is currently reviewing funding for Powershift with particular reference to motorists in the Highlands and Islands. Powershift can provide a grant of up to 75% of the cost of converting a vehicle to LPG, which on average is around £1,500 for a private car. It is estimated that converting from LPG to petrol can save a motorist around £700 per year in fuel costs on an annual mileage of 12,000 miles. In addition the scope of the Rural Petrol Stations Grant Scheme has been extended to include for the installation of tanks and dispensers for the supply of LPG.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 14 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre the document or documents which set out the remit given to Deloitte & Touche for its study into the issues and options surrounding the development of a Transport Authority for the Highlands and Islands and outline whether that remit includes any instruction to consider (a) the possibility of such a Transport Authority being given the power to buy and sell petrol and diesel, (b) fuel prices in the Highlands and Islands, (c) the total cost to the public sector in the Highlands and Islands of fuel, (d) derogation which would allow a variable duty to be applied to parts of the Highlands and Islands, (e) designation of certain rural petrol stations as essential services, (f) the imposition of price ceilings and (g) the appointment of a regulator to control or influence petrol and diesel prices.
Answer
A copy of the tender specification for the Highlands and Islands Transport Authority Study has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The primary purpose of the study is to examine the case for establishing such an Authority. While the tender specification identifies "fuel distribution" as a potential function, finalising the role any such Authority might play on fuel issues must await a decision on whether or not to establish such a body.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 11 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5345 by Sarah Boyack on 29 March 2000, when a formal decision on the Lingerbay Quarry planning application will be announced.
Answer
I refer the member to my answer of 12 July to question S1W-8666.
