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The current programme for the project anticipates that a contractor will be appointed in 2011.

The current programme for the development of the project envisages a procurement competition in 2010 leading to the appointment of a constructor in 2011.

Ministers are still receiving various forms of advice regarding funding methods for the Forth replacement crossing.

The Scottish Government is supportive of measures which help to reduce energy demand and we recognise that smart meters and real time displays could play a role. We work closely with the UK Government in this policy area and are currently awaiting the results of a major UK-wide pilot to understand the costs and benefits of smart meters. This pilot includes Scottish consumers and it makes sense to await the results of the pilot before further considering the widespread roll-out of smart meters.

The Scottish Government has received representations from several organisations on the issue of smart meters for domestic gas and electricity supplies including the Energy Retail Association, energy supply companies, Energy Action Scotland, local authorities and Ofgem.

In particular, we received 15 representations on smart meters in response to the consultation on a draft energy efficiency and microgeneration strategy which issued in March 2007. Individual responses have already been published on the Scottish Government website. We will shortly be publishing an analysis of all the responses including the Scottish Government’s response to views expressed in the consultation.

In general, all of the representations we have received were supportive of smart meters as a means to reduce energy consumption.

No such assessment has been made and there are no current plans to undertake one. However, the Scottish Government continues to monitor the rollout of fast broadband speeds on a more general basis across all areas of Scotland as well as key developments elsewhere in Europe and across the world.

The Scottish Government is supportive of measures which help to reduce energy demand and we recognise that smart meters and real time displays could play a role. The UK Government is already undertaking a major UK-wide pilot to gain a good understanding of the costs and benefits of smart meters. This pilot includes Scottish consumers and we await the results of the pilot with keen interest.

No such assessment has been carried out and the Scottish Government has no current plans to undertake one.

The Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) are made up of a range of local public officials selected on the basis of the relevant expertise required to assess the types of applications being submitted via the Rural Development Contracts “ Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Plan.

The core membership is made up of local staff from Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (SGRPID), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) as the three main funders of the Programme, along with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) as a key regulator of the sector. Enterprise or business expertise is contributed by economic development staff from local authorities or from the Enterprise network.

Other public officials may be asked to attend or contribute to RPAC meetings in relation to specific applications which require more specialist expertise.

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.