- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 13 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the rate of progress made by BT in respect of broadband provision in rural areas; what measures are in place to monitor BT's progress towards installing cabling to connect rural households to broadband, and when it expects such cabling to be installed in Carrbridge.
Answer
Under the Executive’s contract award with BT, 378 rural exchanges are being enabled for broadband. This roll-out is proceeding to plan and monitoring is in place to ensure we deliver access to every community by the end of 2005.
There is a technical issue for providing broadband to households connected to “shared” DACS (Digital Access Carrier System) lines. However, BT’s UK-wide policy is to solve this, where financially viable, by providing those households that have applied for a broadband service with an exclusive exchange line.
The Carrbridge exchange was enabled commercially by BT and not through the Executive's contract. BT recognise that a very small number of customers on this exchange are currently unable to receive broadband because they are on DACS lines. Therefore, they plan to lay new cable and expect to resolve the issue there within the next two months.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 13 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns that the behaviour of demonstrators on the M74 project, such as by direct disruption or attempted disruption of construction work commencing, may cause delays and extra costs to the project and, if so, whether it will detail what concerns it has.
Answer
I refer the member to the answers to question S2W-10252 on 22 September 2004 and question S2W-13781 answered on 8 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 13 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or the successful tenderers are responsible for the costs of security for the M74 project in providing security cover to cater for the risk of disruption and violence which may be caused by demonstrators against the project.
Answer
I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-10252 on 22 September 2004 and question S2W-13781 on 8 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 13 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its programme of proposed trunk road improvement works so far as has been determined, showing details of each project and the band into which the estimated cost of each project will fall
Answer
The Scottish Executive updates its trunk road preparation programme on a regular quarterly basis and it is our intention to develop and place a summary of progress on the Scottish Executive website (under the section for Transport/Roads and Motorways/Trunk Roads/Management and Maintenance) following the conclusion of each quarterly review meeting.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 13 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scottish Natural Heritage is an appropriate body to conduct any assessment of the impact of a marine national park on the fishing industry.
Answer
I am satisfied that SNH is the appropriate body to undertake an assessment of the issues relevant to establishment of a coastal and marine national park. I have therefore asked SNH to make recommendations on candidate areas and on the aims, powers and governance of a coastal and marine national park along with estimates of its running costs. Following submission of that advice, it would be my intention to undertake a full public consultation which would allow all interested parties to respond to the proposals.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 13 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage will seek the views of representatives of fishermen's organisations during its scoping study into possible locations for a marine national park.
Answer
I have asked SNH to work closely with relevant stakeholders in developing its advice to me on coastal and marine national parks. SNH has already written to a very wide range of organisations inviting input in writing or via a website message board. In addition, SNH has established a stakeholder group as a sounding board which includes members of fisheries bodies representing fishing interests across Scotland.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 9 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out the programme for the commencement and completion of the M74, providing the estimated start and finish dates in respect of each part of the project put out to tender in three packages, and whether it has any concerns regarding any further delay to the commencement of the project.
Answer
The programme will be set out once the outcome of the appeal against the Road Order is known. The appeal hearing in the Court of Session has been arranged for 27 to 30 June and 4 and 5 July 2006.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether companies within the fish farming sector have asked Highlands and Islands Enterprise for loan assistance; if so, what its response has been; whether the Executive is satisfied with any such response, and, if not, what action it will take.
Answer
The Executive was approached by a number of fish farming companies asking for financial assistance. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), at the request of ministers, has responded quickly to this situation. We understand that HIE will make an announcement on investment proposals shortly.
Also HIE and Scottish Enterprise are continuing to work closely together in assessing wider sectoral solutions. The Scottish Executive is very grateful for the huge effort the enterprise networks are making to find solutions to help the industry.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 9 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assist the fishing industry to cope with increasing fuel costs.
Answer
The Scottish Executive continues to be in close dialogue with the industry, the UK government and the EU Commission regarding the effects of high fuel costs and continues to explore what options might be available.
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18341 on 10 August 2005, which outlined the five potential fuel support measures which Commissioner Borg described at a meeting with the industry on 29 July. The Scottish Executive is keeping close to the Commissioner as thinking in Brussels develops.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 7 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the effect of all proposed wind farms will be on the eagle population; whether it will publish (a) the best available estimates of the eagle population in each of the last six years and (b) its estimate of the future population of eagles, and whether it has had communications with Scottish Natural Heritage in relation to this issue and, if so, whether it will publish any relevant documentation.
Answer
It is not possible to forecast accurately what the effect, if any, of all proposed wind farms will be on the eagle population as many projects are still in the process of environmental survey and evaluation.
Golden eagle populations are not estimated annually. National surveys take place approximately every 10 years. The last survey was in 2003, and estimated the Scottish population at 442 breeding pairs. In 1992, the estimate was 425 pairs. It is difficult to make firm predictions of the future population size of a species but I am advised that large changes in the eagle population of Scotland in the short- to medium-term are unlikely.
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) advises the Scottish Executive on the possible effects of proposed wind farms, and is monitoring the cumulative impact of such developments. Comments from SNH on Environmental Statements relating to wind farm proposals are publicly available unless they make specific reference to sensitive environmental information.
