Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-13619 on 18 January 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/wa.search.

Yes.

The Executive has regular discussions with the UK Government on a wide range of issues. The requirements for 3G coverage were set in the conditions of the licences auctioned in April 2000 and now administered by the UK-wide regulator, OFCOM. Each 3G operator must be capable of offering a service to cover 80% of the UK population by the end of 2007. Provision beyond this figure is a commercial decision for operators.

The Executive has been and continues to be in regular discussion with the UK Government regarding the proposed new gambling legislation and the implications for Scotland.

The Scottish Parliament has now agreed that the relevant provisions in the Gambling Bill which confer powers on Scottish ministers, including the power to set fees and make regulations on the conditions to be attached to gambling premises’ licensing and permits, should be considered by the UK Parliament.

The level of fuel tax is a reserved matter. The Executive has regular discussions with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including fuel duty. Scottish ministers will continue to ensure that Scotland’s interests are placed firmly on the agenda in Whitehall on tax, as on other matters, through direct contact with Treasury Ministers.

The Executive fully supports the development of the new sports centre for Grantown-on-Spey and is delighted that the project has been awarded funding of £300,000 from sportscotland’s lottery-funded Building for Sport programme.

Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to ensure adequate provision of sport and leisure facilities for their residents. As in the case of the sports centre in Grantown-on-Spey, funding may be available from sportscotland through the Building for Sport programme. Applications are assessed by sportscotland against set criteria for the programme and ministers have no role to play in considering individual applications.

With regard to access for children to sports centres, many local authorities already have strategies in place to encourage increased access. However, this is an issue which has been identified as important in achieving targets 1 and 2 of Sport 21. The strategy to deliver these targets is seeking to create or amend existing discount schemes and also consider the provision of transport subsidies to ensure that potential barriers are removed which restricts access to sports facilities and participation in sports programmes.

It is for The Highland Council to decide on the priorities for the provision of new schools in their area, within the resources available to them. These resources include the financial support we have offered the council for a schools PPP project with a capital value of around £100 million; direct capital grant in the form of a Schools Fund allocation of £4.332 million in 2005-06 rising to £4.751 million by 2007-08, and the substantial resources which the Council can generate within the level they can afford, principally through borrowing, under the prudential framework.

Hospitals in rural areas, including district general hospitals and community hospitals, make an important contribution to the well-being of populations in these areas. Maintaining high quality services in rural hospitals provides a number of challenges to NHS boards, who are responsible for planning sustainable services for the whole population of their area. Many boards are looking at strengthening linkages between rural hospitals and hospitals in larger population centres. The Executive has commissioned Professor David Kerr to undertake a review of NHS services, including how best to provide services in rural areas. The result of Professor Kerr’s work is expected in late spring.

Clearly the recruitment, retention and training of clinical staff is vital to the provision of safe and sustainable services. Several initiatives are under way. These include:

· the establishment of a chair of remote and rural medicine in Stornoway, jointly between Western Isles NHS Board and the University of the Highlands and Islands;

• fellowships in remote and rural general practice;
• an intercollegiate group of the Scottish Medical Royal Colleges is developing plans for specific training programmes in remote and rural medicine, and

a short-life working group is currently assessing a range of retention initiatives aimed at all categories of staff.

No this is not normal procedure for such projects. We look forward to receiving a copy of the Consultation Report from Transport Initiatives Edinburgh Ltd when it is published.

The Scottish Executive’s broadband strategy is facilitating the rollout and uptake of broadband technology across Scotland. Project ATLAS fits within this overall strategy but is led and funded by Scottish Enterprise. Issues about use of public funding and the benefits achieved are, in the first instance, operational matters for Scottish Enterprise.