- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 April 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 29 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail each venture written off as a "failed joint venture" as referred to in the director's report on the Scottish Agriculture College (SAC), setting out the reason why each failed and the amount of money that was written off as a result.
Answer
The director's report to the Scottish Agricultural Group Accounts, for the year to 31 March 2001, refers to joint ventures that were entered into by SAC Commercial Ltd - the commercial arm of the SAC group. This company is not grant aided by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department. In the circumstances, the member might wish to approach the SAC for the information he is seeking.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 April 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 29 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a detailed breakdown of the estimated #20 million cost of a new campus for the Scottish Agricultural College in Paisley and a move to Aberdeen; whether it is satisfied that these costings are accurate; whether the costings have been submitted for analysis or assessment and, if so, to whom.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24835.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 April 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Simpson on 29 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure the provision of specialist drug misuse services within the Lochaber area.
Answer
The Executive has allocated additional resources of over £380,000 for treatment and £831,000 for the rehabilitation of drug misusers in the Highland area for the period 2001-02 to 2003-04. Responsibility for how these and existing resources are spent rests with the local Drug and Alcohol Strategy Group and its constituent agencies, taking into account local circumstances and needs.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 April 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 29 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Ministerial Statement by the Minister for Environment and Rural Development to the Parliament on 21 March 2002, Official Report, col. 10615, whether the proposals for the Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive will be submitted in any form for independent assessment or audit and, if so, who will carry out this assessment or audit; with which "major stakeholders" the college will consult and whether it will ensure that this includes representatives from the college students, the local National Farmers Union Scotland and the campaign to retain the college; what it meant by the "range of options that are open to the SAC", and whether it will specify these options.
Answer
The member is probably aware that the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) has agreed to conduct a review of its future functions and objectives, in consultation with its key stakeholders. I would expect representatives of the groups to which the member refers to be invited to participate in the consultation process.Following this piece of work, the SAC will examine options - for all of its three campuses - about how it might restructure itself to be able to meet these objectives, prior to putting their conclusions to ministers for consideration. In advance of this work being taken forward, it is not possible to say at this stage what options will emerge for consideration or to comment on any individual one. The SAC will be using external consultants to help it with these major initiatives. The consultants will bring an independent line of thought to bear.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 8 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any (a) powers and (b) plans to give financial relief to fish farms in respect of rents charged by the Crown Estates Commissioners and what information it has received on any such charges collected in other countries for the purposes of assessing their impact on the fish farming industry in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has no powers and, therefore, no plans to give financial relief to fish farms, in respect of rents charged by the Crown Estates.The fish farming industry has described the effect that the rents have on their competitiveness, in comparison with other salmon-producing countries. However, this is a matter for the Crown Estate and the industry to take account of, in their rent reviews. In the course of the development of our aquaculture strategy, we are considering the future competitiveness of the industry.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 3 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Boundary Commission for Scotland that, if the boundaries of the constituency of Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber are altered, the new constituency name should be "Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey" and not "Inverness and Badenoch".
Answer
This is a reserved matter and as the Scottish Executive does not have a statutory role, it does not intend to make any representations.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is essential for the future of crofting in the Western Isles that there be a locally-based abattoir facility.
Answer
In the interests of sustainable farming, it is important for all producers to have profitable markets for the livestock that they produce, whether that is abattoirs or other farmers who finish the animals. Around two-thirds of livestock from the Western Isles is currently sold to buyers elsewhere in the UK and it is in the best interest of Western Isles producers that the abattoirs that buy their livestock are commercially viable, irrespective of where they are based.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it has provided in connection with Heather Isles Meats Ltd in each of the last three years.
Answer
The Executive has provided no financial assistance to Heather Isle Meats in the last three years.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a reduction of landing charges at Inverness Airport would support promotion of the tourism industry and, in particular, increase the number of visitors travelling to Inverness Airport.
Answer
The Scottish Executive's support to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd already ensures the maintenance of air services which provide tourism access to the Highlands.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what work is to be carried out in order to repair and resurface the single track sections of the A830; by what date any such work will be carried out, and whether BEAR (Scotland) Ltd will consult Mallaig Community Council in connection with these matters.
Answer
A structural maintenance scheme has been identified for implementation this autumn. The precise nature and scope of the works is currently under investigation and will be finalised during the design period over the summer months. A consultation exercise involving Mallaig Community Council will be undertaken to ascertain the optimum timing for the road closures. It is anticipated that in order to keep disruption to a minimum, the road closures will take place outwith the tourist season.An interim strategy to undertake urgent repairs and increase the frequency of safety inspections has also been formulated to ensure road safety is maintained until the above scheme is implemented.
