Seòmar agus comataidhean

The terms of the concordat betweencentral and local government commit to a reduction in central government monitoringof local government spending lines – this is reflected in the removal of ring-fencedresources for a significant amount of activity.

Fundingto support youth justice activities, such as intensive support and monitoring, willtherefore not be ring-fenced from 1 April 2008, it will be included in the overalllocal government settlement.

Every local authority area willhave the flexibility to make decisions about what will best achieve good outcomes.

We expect all agencies chargedwith achieving better outcomes for children and young people to work together inpartnership and to reach collective decisions about what will best achieve thoseaims.

When conflict occurs, children’spanels have the option of asking the principal reporter to use local authority accountabilitypowers, as set out in the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2004, to ensure the needs ofchildren and young people are met.

The UK cannot place a unilateral ban on theexport of calves as this would contravene free trade rules and would be illegalunder EU law. We believe that we have suitable legislation in place to protectthe welfare of animals during transport and many veal farms on the continent dooperate systems which are compatible with UK law.

Althoughthe slaughter of animals without pre-stunning does not take place in Scotland, it would be perfectly legalfor this method to be used in Scottish slaughterhouses. The slaughter of sheepwithout pre-stunning for religious reasons is legal throughout the EU and toban the export of sheep would contravene free trade rules and would be illegalunder EU law.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5512 on 7 November 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-5512 on 7 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Transport Scotland hasno plans to commission a STAG appraisal in the immediate future.

The Strategic Transport ProjectsReview (STPR) is examining the needs of our nationally strategic transport corridorsincluding the A76 which forms part of the transport corridor to North West Englandand beyond.

The STPR aims to identify an indicative programme of interventions forthe period 2012 to 2022 that will make a significant contribution towards the NationalTransport Strategy and help towards achieving the government’s purpose of creatinga more successful country through increasing sustainable economic growth. The reviewwill deliver its finding to Scottish ministers in the summer of 2008.

There have not beenany specific discussions on this issue. However, the Scottish Arts Council supportsa number of residencies of different types. These include ones which allow artistsan opportunity to spend a period of time concentrating on developing their workand those where artists work within a community project.

The Scottish ArtsCouncil is still in the process of exploring the development of a public art policywith an external reference group and I look forward to seeing the results of thiswork in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-6615 on 7 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

In addition the Scottish ArtsCouncil notes artists in residence programmes can often play an important role inpublic art projects that are partner funded.

You may also be interested toknow that there are currently over 70 artists in residence projects either underwayor planned. Of these, some directly involve colleges, universities and libraries,but most mainly concentrate on schools, youth work, communities, and health.

In our spending plansfor 2008-09 to 2010-11 we have set out plans to spend £3.2 million each year onmajor events and themed years. A large proportion of this funding in 2008-09 and2009-10 will be allocated to Homecoming Scotlandto cover the project’s costs, including supportfor events which will drive tourism growth and link to the themes of HomecomingScotland.EventScotland aim to use that funding to attract further funding for HomecomingScotland from a range of sources, including local authorities, private sector sponsorsand European sources. In addition, VisitScotland will incorporate the HomecomingScotland message in all of its marketing starting from early in 2008, and that in-kindmarketing support over the  two years will be worth a great deal.

A meeting has been arranged for30 January 2008.