- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the current review of the tourist industry in Scotland should be conducted by a body independent of the Scottish Tourist Board.
Answer
The Scottish Tourist Board, working in partnership with other Government agencies, the Area Tourist Boards, the industry itself through the Scottish Tourism Forum and other representative bodies, is best placed to undertake this task.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 27 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from Highlands & Islands Enterprise relating to improvements in the mechanisms for community ownership described in Land Reform: Proposals for Legislation and, if so, whether it will adjust its policy to incorporate the suggestions made in particular by using a wider definition of eligible community members than tenants and employees alone, providing an emergency 'late registration' process for communities where land comes on the market unexpectedly, allowing existing bodies such as community councils to register an interest on behalf of a community, extending the time to be given to communities to assess whether they might buy land when it comes on the market, and pricing land at an economic rather than market value; and, if it will not adjust its policy in these ways, whether it will state its reason in each case.
Answer
We have so far received 530 responses to the Land Reform White Paper, including one from Highlands and Islands Enterprise. There have been good ideas from all sides on how to make the proposals better, and we shall be making as much use as possible of all of these.I shall be announcing the outcome of this consultation in due course.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 26 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will describe in detail the ways in which (a) Scottish Enterprise (b) the Glasgow Development Agency (c) the British Waterways Board and (d) Historic Scotland are accountable to the Scottish Parliament for the decisions which they make and the way in which they spend public money and what steps it will take to make these bodies more accountable to the Parliament.
Answer
The bodies concerned are already accountable to Parliament, as described below.Scottish EnterpriseScottish Enterprise is a Non-Departmental Public Body established by the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990. It reports to the Scottish Parliament through Scottish Ministers. Glasgow Development AgencyThe Glasgow Development Agency (GDA) is one of the 13 local enterprise companies within the Scottish Enterprise area which are contracted to deliver the major part of the projects, programmes and services funded by Scottish Enterprise. The GDA is principally accountable to the Scottish Parliament through Scottish Enterprise. The GDA's accountability to Scottish Enterprise is defined and controlled by an Operating Contract.British Waterways BoardBritish Waterways Board is specified as a cross-border public authority under the Scotland Act 1998. Section 88 of that Act has the effect that UK Ministers must consult Scottish Ministers before making any appointment to the Board and about any functions which might affect Scotland otherwise than wholly in relation to reserved matters. Any report relating to British Waterways Board which is laid before the Houses of Parliament requires to be laid before the Scottish Parliament. Historic ScotlandHistoric Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Executive Education Department and is directly responsible to Scottish Ministers who in turn are accountable to the Scottish Parliament. Arrangements for the management system of Agencies in general was set out in the written answer to a previous Scottish Parliament Question S1W-696 and is contained in the Written Answers for Wednesday 28 July 1999.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 25 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether they consider the current measures taken by Scottish Natural Heritage to control the wild mink population in the Western Isles are adequate, in particular to prevent depredation of crofters' livestock and, if not, what steps it will take in this matter.
Answer
In general, the responsibility for pest control rests with the owner or occupier of a property.
Scottish Natural Heritage is involved in mink control because of the threat the animals pose to natural heritage interests, particularly to ground nesting birds. It is not responsible for measures to prevent depredation of crofters' livestock, nor am I aware that this is a significant problem.To meet natural heritage objectives, Scottish Natural Heritage is currently, with a number of other organisations, participating in the control of mink through funding and oversight of trapping on South Harris and North Uist. It has also commissioned a field survey to establish the number and distribution of mink on the Uists. The results of this survey are expected in January, and at that stage the situation will be reviewed. In the meantime the measures Scottish Natural Heritage is taking are considered adequate.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 25 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the report or review by Deloitte & Touche on the Ossian project commissioned by the Scottish Tourist Board.
Answer
The report by Deloitte & Touche contains information that is commercially sensitive. I will however arrange for a copy of the Executive summary to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 25 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the submission by the Federation for Small Businesses made in September 1999 to the low pay commission on the effect of the national minimum wage on the small business sector in Scotland, it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government that the level of the minimum wage be set for a minimum of three years in advance and that the impact of compliance with new employment legislation be taken into consideration.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government over the range of reserved matters, including those relating to the National Minimum Wage.The independent Low Pay Commission has statutory responsibility for monitoring and evaluating the introduction and impact of the National Minimum Wage and will be considering the submission from the Federation of Small Businesses alongside all others received before reporting to UK Government by the end of this year.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 13 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its planned financial contribution to British Waterways in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01, (iii) 2001-02 and (iv) 2002-03; and specifically what resources it plans to make available to British Waterways to repair the existing canal system in those years.
Answer
This information is not available at present. The British Waterways Board (BWB) is specified as a cross-border public authority and discussions are currently taking place between the Scottish Executive, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and BWB about the transfer of relevant functions to the Scottish Ministers and the amount of grant in aid to be advanced to BWB by the Scottish Executive for its operations in Scotland.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 13 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to nominate a Chairman or board members to the Board of British Waterways and whether it will list the present Chairman and board members of British Waterways.
Answer
British Waterways is classified as a cross-border public authority under the Scotland Act 1998. Section 88(2)(a) of that Act has the effect that UK Ministers must consult the Scottish Ministers before making any appointment to the Board. Discussions are currently taking place between the Scottish Executive, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and British Waterways about the most appropriate allocation of functions, including appointments to the Board, between Ministers of the Crown and the Scottish Ministers. The present Chairman and board members of British Waterways are listed below:-Dr George Greener (Chairman)David Yorke (Vice Chair)Campbell ChristieSir Neil CossonsCarolan DobsonJane ElvyPaul KingJanet Lewis-JonesPeter Soulsby
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reform the law relating to standard securities to allow the provisions of section 40 of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985, adapted as necessary, to apply in cases where the eviction of a debtor and his family is sought by virtue of security holders' powers under the Conveyancing and Feudal Reform (Scotland) Act 1970.
Answer
We have no such intentions at present. However we have already indicated our support for the proposed Members' Bill by Ms Cathie Craigie MSP which seeks to protect those facing repossession in Scotland.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 12 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1281 by Jack McConnell on 27 September, whether it will place copies of the lease and the sublease of Bute House in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
I am arranging for copies of the lease and the sub lease to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
