- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3702 by Henry McLeish on 27 January 2000, whether the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit will consider any concerns of businesses regarding the burden of regulation in all sectors including farming, crofting, fishing, quarrying, tourism and whisky and, if not, why not.
Answer
The IRIS unit will follow up representations from businesses in any sector on any regulatory concern.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the number of new businesses created for each year from 1999-2000 to 2008-09.
Answer
We have a set an overall target of creating 100,000 new businesses by 2009. Achievement of this target year by year will depend on the success of specific initiatives and on the general performance of the economy, which is currently very good.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3763 by Mr Jack McConnell on 28 January 2000, whether it will answer parts (a) and (b) of the original question and explain why it did not do so in the original answer.
Answer
My answer of 28 January explained that any economic consequences of revaluation will follow from the differential changes in sector and location of individual businesses and that revaluation is intended to achieve a neutral effect overall.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3713 by Henry McLeish on 27 January 2000, whether it (a) will publish details of the precise way in which it calculates the number of new businesses created, (b) will explain this process to the Parliament, (c) agrees that the methodology for the calculation should be transparent and clearly understandable, (d) will consult, or has consulted, business representative bodies as to how they calculate the number of new businesses created and (e) will consider how the performance of the Scottish Executive in achieving the targets it has set itself can be assessed, in the event that its methodology is not recognised and acknowledged by business representative groups and the Parliament as valid.
Answer
The recently published Scottish Economic Report, which was laid before the Scottish Parliament in January, provides details of the methods used to calculate new business starts and the business stock. I would be happy to discuss these data with business representative groups.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-3702 and S1W-3706 by Henry McLeish on 27 January 2000, how the #12 million Business Growth Fund will be administered, whether copies of the application forms will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, whether Local Enterprise Companies (LECs) will have total responsibility for determining applications and whether not giving LECs total responsibility will result in unnecessary delay and bureaucracy in applications to the fund.
Answer
The Business Growth Fund is administered by Scottish Enterprise (SEn) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Copies of the application forms for the fund have been placed with SPICe although any applicant should be encouraged to discuss the fund with their local LEC in the first instance. The LEC will be able to provide scheme details, as well as general advice on applying. Final decisions are taken centrally by SEn and HIE, taking account of advice from the LEC dealing with each application. This ensures a consistent approach in delivering this national programme across the SEn and HIE areas.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 10 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take immediate action to ensure the Scottish National Championship in ice-skating, due to take place on 11 and 12 march in Irvine, goes ahead and that participation in this competition by Scottish skaters will not affect their eligibility for the UK team, in light of the apparent refusal by the National Ice Skating Association to recognise the Scottish Ice Skating Association (SISA), and whether it will report to SISA on any such action taken.
Answer
I understand that the Scottish National Ice-Skating Championships will go ahead as planned. The National Ice Skating Association (NISA) has now retracted its eligibility statement and Scottish skaters will be able to participate without any threat of action from NISA.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 6 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1612 by Donald Dewar on 16 September 1999, whether it will now specify the revised total estimated annual costs of employment of Special Advisors broken down by individual and, including any termination and other payments which have been made to Mr Rafferty and Mr Chalmers.
Answer
There are currently eight Special Advisers employed within the Scottish Executive. The estimated annual cost of employing them (including overheads) is £527,207. Individual salaries are not revealed in order to protect the privacy of those concerned. Regarding severance payment, Mr Rafferty received the three month's salary due under the terms of his contract of employment; Mr Chalmers did not receive any such payment. A copy of the Model Contract of Employment for Special Advisers is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICE).
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what was the cost of preparing, publishing and printing the document A New Strategy for Scottish Tourism.
Answer
The cost of graphic design, printing and distribution was £32,320.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend its target for the annual growth rate for the value of tourism expenditure from 3.3% per annum to 4%, in line with the estimated growth rate in tourism in the global marketplace and, if so, whether it will amend its other targets in the New Strategy for Scottish Tourism accordingly.
Answer
Growth in tourism over the next five years is expected to be greatest in emerging markets, for example, in Asia. Tourism in Europe is forecast to grow by around 3.1% annually. Our target of 3.3% for Scotland is therefore not only tough but realistic.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has a conflict of interest in its advisory role in the designation of Special Protected Area status, given the statutory duty of SNH to take account of the interests of communities and social and economic development.
Answer
No. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has a general duty to take such account as may be appropriate in the circumstances of the interests of local communities and the need for social and economic development. In the case of Special Protection Areas, selection must be on scientific criteria and it is not appropriate for Scottish Natural Heritage to take account of other factors.
