- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed "management agreements" described in section 13 of the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill will include payments additional to those already being paid and, if so, by how much per annum in (a) Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and (b) the Cairngorms and whether such payments will accrue to (a) tenants or (b) owners.
Answer
It will be for National Park authorities to decide with whom they wish to enter into management agreements, and what financial arrangements these will include.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the cost of implementing the procedure set out in section 2 of the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill in relation to (a) the proposed Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and (b) the proposed Cairngorms National Park.
Answer
The procedure set out in section 2 will include many variables. These include the Reporter's time, local authority input, costs of a PLI, if necessary and publication of the report by Scottish Ministers amongst others. Our best estimates are that this type of expenditure, for both areas, will be in the region of £100,000.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will insert a provision in the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill to the effect that the members of the proposed National Parks Authority shall be elected locally and directly by the residents rather than being appointed or nominated.
Answer
We are reviewing all points raised in respect of the consultation exercise recently carried out on the draft National Parks Bill. The consultation period ended on 3 March 2000 and all points will be considered prior to the Bill being introduced to Parliament. The Bill as currently drafted requires members to have knowledge or experience relevant to the functions of the National Park authority or the National Park, but does not require direct elections.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed National Parks will be funded by grants and, if so, what its estimate is of the annual grant (in current cash terms) for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and the Cairngorms in the first five years of operation.
Answer
National Parks will be funded by grants from central Government.Scottish Natural Heritage's advice to government on National Parks, published in 1999, contained estimates of costs (in current terms) of national parks in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and the Cairngorms. We will consider the levels of grant necessary in the context of the Executive's spending plans for the period in question.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the cost of (a) holding a local referendum and (b) holding a local inquiry in (i) Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and (ii) the Cairngorms and whether a local inquiry is more or less democratic than a referendum.
Answer
The cost of (a) and (b) would depend on the nature and extent of the referendum or inquiry. The purposes of each would be different: the draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill does not provide for the holding of a referendum.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive why members of the National Parks Authority will be appointed by it rather than elected by local residents.
Answer
Members of National Park Authorities will need to reflect a wide range of interests. The draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill provides for an important role for local authorities in determining the membership of National Park authorities. All members will be required to have knowledge or experience relevant to the functions of the National Park authority or the National Park.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the letter written by its Chief Agricultural Officer to administrators of the Crofters Building Grants and Loan Scheme as referred to in The Herald of Wednesday 1 March 2000, whether there will be any job redundancies of those administrators as a result of any changes to the scheme; whether it remains committed to providing the scheme and, if so, why it has reduced the financial benefits available under it and whether it will publish the rates for grant and loans for building a house (a) at 1990 levels and (b) at current levels, in real terms.
Answer
I am arranging for a copy of the Chief Agricultural Officer's letter to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Efficiency savings in administering the Crofters Etc. Building Grants and Loan Scheme (CBGLS) mean that workloads throughout the nine Area Offices in the Highlands and Islands may reduce in total by the equivalent of five to seven posts. We aim to avoid compulsory redundancies and will explore ways of achieving this e.g. by redeployment of staff to other work.
The Executive recognises that CBGLS plays a significant role in retaining population levels in the crofting areas. The overall financial benefits available under CBGLS have not been reduced. Rather, the recent adjustments have allowed them to be extended more widely.
The rates for grant/loan in 1990 and at present for new houses are:
| | Grant | Loan |
Up to 15 May 1990 | 50% of the cost of eligible work up to a maximum of £8,700 | Up to a maximum of £13,500 |
From 16 May 1990 | 50% of the cost of eligible work up to a maximum of £11,500 | Up to a maximum of £17,500 |
From 1 January 2000 | £11,500 | Up to a maximum of £17,500 |
Using the GDP deflator the current maximum assistance of £29,000 would be worth £22,230 at 1990-91 prices.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 20 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount of public funding is currently spent annually on education courses for prospective teachers of Gaelic.
Answer
There are currently a total of 35 Gaelic-speaking students on Initial Teacher Training courses. Of these, 14, including nine post-graduate students, graduate this year. This represents a cost of approximately £290,000.
In addition, in 1999 the Scottish Executive funded a Gaelic Medium Subject Specialist Teachers Course for secondary teachers. This was run by Sabhal Mor Ostaig at a total cost of £66,000. This year and next similar GMST courses will be run. Their costs will be in the same region but the precise amounts will depend on teacher numbers.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the levels of financial assistance available to crofters for house improvements under the Crofters Building Grants and Loan Scheme.
Answer
In the course of the current spending review I will examine all aspects of Rural Affairs Department expenditure including the Crofters Etc. Building Grants and Loan Scheme.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction in financial support under the Crofters Building Grants and Loan Scheme will have upon levels of population in the Western Isles and in each of the crofting counties.
Answer
There has been no reduction in financial support under the Crofters Etc. Building Grants and Loans Scheme. The changes to the scheme which I made recently will widen access to assistance and therefore make it possible for more people in crofting areas to provide affordable housing for their families.
