Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Executive seeks to pay every invoice promptly. I amtherefore today setting a target that by December 2004, over 98% of undisputed invoiceswill be paid consistently within 30 days of receipt or within the terms of specificcontracts. This level of performance is comparable with that achieved by other largeorganisations.

I recently announced our intention to ensure that, by the end of 2005, every community in Scotland has access to broadband services. We are currently developing plans to deliver this.

“Short term” is defined as one to three years in paragraph 3.1 of the summary of the recommendations contained in the A9 Dunblane to Perth Junction Strategy Study, which was placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre on 26 May 2004 (Bib. number 32605). However, as with similar trunk road improvements, any proposals would be subject to the availability of funding and other competing priorities on the network.

The findings of the A9 Dunblane to Perth Junction Strategy Study will generally be implemented through a series of works packages procured by BEAR Scotland Ltd. However, as with similar trunk road improvements, all proposals will be subject to the availability of funding and other competing priorities on the network.

Considerable effort is being undertaken within the Executive to ensure that all supplier invoices are processed promptly. For example, the use of the Government procurement card for low value ad hoc purchases means that suppliers who are paid by that method receive payment rapidly, as if they have been paid by credit card. The Executive is also progressively identifying and eliminating elements of invoice processing which currently delay payment of some invoices.

No late payments have resulted in interest being added to unpaid bills over the last three years or in the current year, and the Executive is not aware of any current liability for such interest payments.

Scottish GDP estimates are compiled using an industry breakdown and it is not therefore possible to provide a sectoral split of GDP. The table below provides some alternative information on the sectoral split of businesses and organisations in Scotland and the UK. Comparable information is not available for England.

Legal Status
	Number of Enterprises	Total Scottish Employment	Turnover in £ Millions
Companies (incl. Building Societies)	51,170	1,198,310	130,701
Sole proprietors	56,320	166,040	8,158
Partnerships	35,480	204,890	10,775
Public Corporation/ nationalised body	40	136,440	5,758
Central and local government	170	407,400	6,772
Non-profit making bodies and mutual associations	6,545	123,620	2,676
Total registered	149,730	2,236,700	164,839
Unregistered enterprises	102,525	120,480	3,557
Total	252,255	2,357,190	168,396

Source: Scottish Executive, Corporate Sector Statistics 2002.

Notes:

1. Registered enterprises are those registered for VAT and/or PAYE.

2. Turnover data for financial intermediation enterprises are not available. Totals exclude turnover of such enterprises.

The report recognises thatcapital costs account for a significant proportion of the cost of generatingwind power, at between 75%- 90% of the total costs. Such costs are predicted tofall significantly as the global wind energy market expands.

The full cost of nuclearpower, including decommissioning costs, has not been included in the report.

The information requested isnot available. The only regularly collected source of annual data on graduate destinationsis the Examination Results and First Destination Survey (FDS). This survey is runby the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and collects data six months aftergraduation on UK and other EU students who have successfully completedan higher education course at a UK higher education institution (HEI).

In2001-02, the latest year for which FDS data is available, Scotland was shown tobe the location of main activity for an estimated 0.7% of graduates from HEIs inthe rest of the UK. No information is available on students from HEIs outwith theUK.

Work is currently in hand toimprove the provision of data on graduate destinations. The Scottish Funding Councilshave initiated a longitudinal study of students across higher and further educationwhich will track graduates one, three and five years after graduation. HESA arecurrently investigating the possibility of collecting data on graduate destinationstwo years after graduation for HEIs across the UK.

The information requested isnot available. The only regularly collected source of annual data on graduate destinationsis the Examination Results and First Destination Survey (FDS). This survey is runby the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and collects data six months aftergraduation on UK and other EU students who have successfully completed an highereducation course at a UK higher education institution (HEI).

In2001-02, the latest year for which FDS data is available, Scotland wasshown to be the location of main activity for an estimated 77% of graduates fromScottish HEIs

Work is currently in hand toimprove the provision of data on graduate destinations. The Scottish fundingcouncils have initiated a longitudinal study of students across higher and furthereducation which will track graduates one, three and five years after graduation.HESA are currently investigating the possibility of collecting data on graduatedestinations two years after graduation for HEIs across the UK.