Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12979 on 27 May 2008. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12979 on 27 May 2008. 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.

Delivering for Remote and Rural Health care: What it Means for You will impact on all rural general hospitals, including Balfour General Hospital, by improving local access to a range of emergency, diagnostic and planned treatment services.

NHS boards are responsible for planning and delivering services to meet the health care needs of their resident populations. Work is on-going to implement the recommendations contained within the report and boards are expected to deliver these objectives in accordance with Chief Executives Letter 23/2008 circulated on 13 May 2008.

Further details may be found in the full report of the Remote and Rural Steering Group and in particular the technical annexes (online only) which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45640).

The 11 Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) will meet up to three times a year to assess applications submitted under the Rural Development Contracts “ Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Committee.

The specific dates for the assessment meetings will be chosen by the RPACs themselves. However, we intend to consult stakeholders on the most appropriate timing for the first round of RPAC meetings, following the launch of the second stage of the application process scheduled for early July this year. The recommendations of the RPACs will be submitted to me for consideration as soon as possible following the completion of the first round of meetings.

The consultants undertaking the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) study have undertaken an initial assessment of the annual reduction in fares revenue with the application of RET rates. This initial assessment has been carried out on all ferry services subsidised by the Scottish Government and is based on no change in travel demand. This change in revenue represents a consequential increase in subsidies additional to current subsidies. The following table sets out the reduction in fares revenue by area. The consultants final report, a copy of which will be sent to you shortly, provides a breakdown by route.

Area	Change in Revenue £ Million
Western Isles	-£7.65
Orkney	-£2.60
Shetland	-£0.18
Firth of Clyde	-£7.23
Inner Hebrides	-£4.19
Skye	-£0.65
Southern Hebrides	-£2.16
Total	-£24.64

 

There has been no precise limit on the fund. Instead, the sums allocated have been limited by the number of applications, as well as the limits imposed by the wider Scottish Enterprise energy team budget for each year. Around £250,000 has been awarded since the fund''s launch in June 2007.

A full evaluation has not yet been conducted, as two projects are still in progress and one completed just last month. Signs to date indicate that the funding has been a reasonable success in supporting the marine sector and encouraging collaboration across sectors but more evidence is needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn.

A review will take place later this year, the findings of which will inform the fund''s future.

Responsibility for administering the Marine Energy Collaboration Fund rests with the Scottish Enterprise energy team. Its purpose is to encourage and incentivise the collaboration of marine renewable developers with, for example, oil and gas engineering companies, and to access advice to address specific technical issues which will reduce costs and/or increase efficiency and performance.

Funding is a non-refundable grant contribution up to 50% of eligible costs for small and medium-sized enterprises, at a maximum of £100,000 per project. The fund has been allocated on a competitive basis, with applications assessed against the following criteria “ potential economic development impact, additionality, technical advancement and a thorough appraisal of the applicant.

Since the fund''s initial launch by Scottish Enterprise in June 2007, funding support worth £250,000 has been committed to the following four projects:

Scotrenewables (Orkney)

AWS (Alness)

Green Cat Energy (Lanarkshire)

Subsea Energy Scotland (Fife)

The fund''s purpose is to incentivise the collaboration of marine renewable developers with, for example, oil and gas engineering companies, and to access advice to address specific technical issues which will reduce costs and/or increase efficiency and performance.

The fund was promoted initially through mail-shot activities to companies known to Scottish Enterprise, and through industry bodies such as Scottish Renewables, the Industrial and Power Association and Subsea UK. The fund has also been announced at various industry events.