- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 18 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to reduce or eliminate any burden of extra fuel costs in rural areas upon (a) motorists, (b) hauliers, (c) businesses, (d) local authorities and other public bodies and (e) petrol retailers.
Answer
The Scottish Executive's rural transport and public transport funds are providing significant additional resources to improve transport in rural Scotland. The Executive is currently undertaking an evaluation of the effectiveness of the rural transport fund, which is due to report in October 2000. This will inform decisions on future support for rural transport in this autumn's Scottish Spending Review.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 18 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought or obtained on whether providing any state aid, in excess of the de minimis limit, to a proposed Highland Transport Authority for the purpose of the retail sale of petrol and diesel would contravene EU rules on competition and whether it will ensure that this issue is considered in the consultant's report on the issue of a transport authority for the Highlands.
Answer
The purpose of the consultant's study is to examine the case for establishing a Highlands and Islands Transport Authority. Considerations of the role an authority might fulfill on the distribution and sale of motoring fuel must await a decision on whether 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, 24 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 17 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what share of the #280 million additional funding on roads recently announced by the Secretary of State for Transport, Environment and the Regions will accrue to Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive intend to allocate £15.9 million of additional funding to transport. This reflects a Barnett share of the comparable expenditure. This £280 million investment will provide a massive boost to the UK transport infrastructure, improving transport and reducing congestion.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 17 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the decision to fix a rate poundage for Scotland of 45.8 pence as opposed to 41.6 pence in England will have on (a) the manufacturing sector, (b) the tourism sector, (c) the retail sector and (d) the commercial property sector and whether this decision will be reviewed so that the disparity can be eliminated for the year 2001-02 and subsequent years.
Answer
As was set out in detail in the paper that I made available on 17 January 2000 and is available in SPICe, the overall effect of the higher rate poundage in Scotland was balanced by the effect of the greater revaluation factor in England. The competitive position of typical Scottish firms relative to equivalent English firms was maintained. The total revenue raised by non-domestic rates in Scotland is the same in real terms as before the revaluation.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 14 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8006 by Henry McLeish on 29 June 2000, to provide a detailed breakdown of the #2.06 million spent on the University of the Highlands and Islands Project's Executive Office.
Answer
The breakdown is given in the table below:
| | £000's |
| Staff costs | 840 |
| Travel and subsistence | 43 |
| Staff recruitment, development and training | 43 |
| Grants to academic partners for Deputy Directors, Deans of Faculty and Heads of research schools | 97 |
| Meetings costs | 54 |
| Consultancy and Professional fees | 39 |
| Office costs | 76 |
| Property costs | 132 |
| ICT equipment and services | 375 |
| Promotion and marketing, including publications, exhibitions, events and advertising | 361 |
| | 2,060 |
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 13 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated cost is of the marketing campaign for Learndirect Scotland.
Answer
While definitive figures are not available at this stage, it is anticipated that some £1.5 million will be available for the comprehensive marketing campaign learndirect scotland has planned for 2000-01.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 13 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the database being compiled by Learndirect Scotland will be completed prior to the introduction of individual learning accounts.
Answer
The national learndirect scotland database will be available prior to the full introduction of learn direct scotland and individual learning accounts this autumn. Thereafter the database will be refined and developed on a continuous basis to ensure that accurate, relevant and comprehensive opportunities continue to be available to potential learners across Scotland.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 13 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive in respect of how many consultations which were launched between May 1999 and June 2000 and where the consultation period is now closed have summaries of consultation responses received been compiled and who compiled each such summary.
Answer
This information is not currently held centrally. However such information will become available in the future as measures are being undertaken to improve the Scottish Executive's handling of consultations. The policy was set out in the statement I made on 1 June (Official Report Column 1205-1215)
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 13 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive who reads consultation responses and whether it sends acknowledgements to individuals and groups who submit responses.
Answer
The handling of responses varies according to the type and scale of the consultation exercise. Measures are being undertaken to improve the Scottish Executive's handling of consultations. The policy was set out in the statement I made on 1 June (Official Report Column 1205-1215).
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 13 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has adopted a policy of consulting more widely, in terms of both those consulted and the range of issues consulted upon, than was the case prior to May 1999; whether it has a policy of always consulting on certain types of issues; what criteria it uses in determining whether to consult on an issue and how it decides who should receive invitations to respond to different consultation exercises.
Answer
The management of consultations varies according to the type and scale of the consultation exercise. Measures are being undertaken to develop the Scottish Executive's handling of consultations. The policy was set out in the statement I made on 1 June (Official Report Column 1205-1215).
