- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 10 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish Government’s policy is regarding the storage of nuclear waste.
Answer
I refer the member to the questionS3W-2332 answered on 10 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at:
http://.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 31 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make an announcement on funding to HITRANS.
Answer
HITRANS were advised oftheir capital and revenue funding for 2007-08 in March this year. The level offunding for future years is dependent on the outcome of the comprehensivespending review.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 13 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the benefits of a decentralised system of energy generation.
Answer
Various studies fromthe Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Greenpeace and the World Alliance forDecentralised Energy (WADE) have assessed the feasibility, cost and benefits ofdecentralised energy systems. These studies suggest that local generation of electricityreduces transmission losses and combined heat and power (CHP) systems can operateat significantly higher efficiencies by reusing waste heat from electricity generation.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 13 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider undertaking independent research into the benefits of, and options for, a decentralised system of energy generation.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentis currently considering conducting studies into the feasibility, costs and benefitsof implementing combined heat and power (CHP) systems in parts of Scotland.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee submitted its recommendations for improvements to the Arbuthnott Formula in June 2007 and when the Executive plans to make the committee’s recommendations public and announce its response to them.
Answer
Following a slightdelay to their timetable, the NHSScotland Resource AllocationCommittee (NRAC) have advised that they intend to submit their report to me in August2007.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 12 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has in respect of the Bus Route Development scheme.
Answer
We are currently reviewingScottish government funding for the bus industry, including the Bus Route DevelopmentGrant scheme, with bus operators and transport authorities to ensure that it isdirected at improving the quality and reliability of services and at enhancing businfrastructure.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 11 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be the key areas of growth for the tourism sector in the next 10 years.
Answer
The key areas forgrowth in the tourism sector are greater productivity and increased investment forexpansion. As with most business models, a number of different drivers are requiredto influence that growth. These include: better capacity utilisation; greater cross-selling;market positioning; effective marketing by the public and private sectors, and capitalinvestment.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 9 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider reviewing which tourism services are funded by local authorities and which are centrally funded through VisitScotland.
Answer
We are determinedto do all we can to increase the effectiveness of Scotland’s tourism effort. To do that, we will consider all aspects of Scotland’stourism industry, including funding for tourism services.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 28 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reform the structure of the tourism network.
Answer
VisitScotland isalready a high performing organisation which has demonstrated that it can makea very effective contribution to the growth of Scottish tourism. Nevertheless,I am determined to ensure that the structures we have in place to supportScottish tourism are the right ones, and I am therefore working with theindustry, and the public sector organisations which work alongside it, toidentify whether these structures need to be adjusted. Any proposals for reformwill be announced in due course.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 28 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the tourism sector develops in a sustainable way.
Answer
Scotland’s tourism strategy – the Tourism Frameworkfor Change – sets out an action plan for growing Scotland’s tourism revenues in a sustainable way, and this government is committedto working with the industry to ensure that this is delivered. A Sustainable TourismPartnership has been established, with membership from the industry and all thepublic sector organisations which work alongside Scottish tourism, including the Scottish Executive. This partnership will work together to ensure that Scottishtourism grows in a way which is sustainable – economically, socially and environmentally.
