- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 August 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 1 September 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the headquarters of Forest Enterprise Scotland will be located in Inverness.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2059 on 19 August 2003, announcing details of the outcomeof the review for the location of the headquarters of Forest Enterprise Scotland.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/search_wa.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 August 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 1 September 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the location for the headquarters of Forest Enterprise Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2059 on 19 August 2003, announcing details of the outcomeof the review for the location of the headquarters of Forest Enterprise Scotland. Allanswers to written parliamentary questionsare available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 29 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in implementing its commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland to ensure that the transport system meets the needs of business, transport users and the environment by extending public transport concessionary fare schemes, including a national free off-peak bus scheme for older people and people with disabilities; what meetings it has had, or plans to have, with key stakeholders, including bus operators and transport authorities, on this matter, and when such meetings will be concluded.
Answer
Work is being taken forward regarding the partnership commitment to extend concessionary travel schemes on public transport. This work includes discussions with key stakeholders which took place recently and shall be followed by the issue of a formal consultation paper towards the end of the year.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 29 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support establishment of a special EU designation for regions that are characterised by being mountainous, peripheral and sparsely populated and, if so, what steps it will take to campaign for such a designation.
Answer
The Scottish Executive supports reform of the Structural Funds post-2006 to ensure they are targeted where they are most needed following enlargement of the European Union. While mountains, peripherality and sparse population are not in themselves justification for funding, recognition of the challenges faced by such communities will be important for future EU regional policy. The debate on reform still has some way to go and we remain fully engaged both at UK and Europe level to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 29 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding ground maintenance on the trunk road network in the Highland Council area under the trunk road maintenance contract and what action it has taken, or will take, in response to any such representations.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has received a number of representations from MSPs, councillors and members of the public about grass cutting and ground maintenance in the Highland Council area. Where concerns are drawn to the attention of the Executive, they are investigated and appropriate action taken.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the minutes of any meetings of its Cabinet at which the relocation of the Scottish Natural Heritage headquarters was discussed and any Cabinet memoranda and papers that explain the reasoning behind the decision to relocate the headquarters to Inverness.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-919 on 1 August 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 25 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the National Farmers' Union Scotland urging that the Executive make payments of interest on IACS payments to farmers whose set-aside land has been down to grass and whether it will ensure that Scottish farmers are treated in the same way as farmers in England and Wales in respect of such payments.
Answer
The National Farmers' Union Scotland has made a number of representations to the Executive since this issue was the subject of a ruling in the European Court of Justice in 2000.In response to a further decision by the English High Court last year, we made a commitment to Scottish farmers that they would not be disadvantaged compared to farmers in England and Wales. This means that Scottish claims penalised previously because land had been in temporary grass in the year preceding set-aside will now be paid. I am pleased to confirm that this includes paying compensation, in lieu of interest, to such cases.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 21 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any safety concerns regarding the height of grass and plants obscuring traffic signage on the trunk road network in the Highland Council area and what action it has taken, or will take, as a result.
Answer
Potential safety issues on the trunk road network are dealt with by the Performance Audit Group issuing hazard notices to the operating company. A hazard notice requires immediate action by the operating company to address the safety problem.No hazard notices have been issued to BEAR in the Highland Council area relating to grass or plants obscuring traffic signs. If such concerns were drawn to the attention of the Executive, they would be investigated and appropriate action would be taken.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by George Reid on 20 August 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer to whom the minutes of the Holyrood Progress Group meeting of 26 March 2003 were circulated.
Answer
A copy of the full minutes was circulated to members of the Holyrood Progress Group, members of the project team and the Clerk/Chief Executive. An extract of the minutes, excluding the private discussions, was circulated to the consultants in attendance, BLL, DLE and EMBT-RMJM Ltd. Following a request for this specific document, a copy of the extract was also issued to a member of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 20 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns regarding the frequency and standard of grass cutting and ground maintenance on the trunk road network in the Highland Council area and, in particular, on the A9, A82, A87 and A96 and what action it has taken, or will take, as a result.
Answer
The Scottish Executive monitors BEAR's performance with help from the independent Performance Audit Group (PAG). In some instances contractual obligations have not been met and the Executive has taken the necessary action to ensure that BEAR rectifies the identified problem. (There are currently no on-going concerns regarding the frequency and standard of grass cutting and ground maintenance on the trunk road network.)
