- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 15 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the structure of the Scottish Tourist Board with a view to increasing the emphasis on the marketing of Scotland.
Answer
We have no plans to do so. A Policy and Financial Management Review of the STB undertaken in 1998 found that all of the Board's current functions are necessary. These functions can be summarised as consumer and trade marketing, the development of the Area Tourist Board network and increasing the competitiveness of the industry. They are carried out in support of the objective that has been set for the Board, which is to help maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland. Currently, over 60% of the Board's programme expenditure is incurred on consumer and trade marketing.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 12 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what the proposed salaries are of the Chairman and other Directors of the proposed Scottish University for Industry.
Answer
The Chief Executive post was advertised at circa £80,000, and the 4 Executive Directors at circa £50,000. Non Executive Directors of the Scottish UfI will not be paid. The question of an honorarium for the Chairman has yet to be decided.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 12 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual operating costs are of the proposed Scottish University for Industry.
Answer
£5 million a year has been identified for the development and operating costs of the Scottish UfI for the period to 31 March 2002.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 12 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what the sources of funding are of the #16.3 million costs for the proposed Scottish University for Industry.
Answer
£16.3m over 3 years has been allocated for the development of the Scottish UfI. £445,000 was allocated from the Windfall tax. The remainder was allocated from the Industry, Enterprise and Training budget of the Scottish Block. Funding for the development phase has been included in the Scottish Enterprise Grant in Aid allocation for 1999-2000.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 12 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult with interested bodies as to how the Scottish University for Industry will add value to existing provision and how adequate performance measurement mechanisms will be instituted.
Answer
The Opportunity Scotland consultation paper of September 1998, the "Skills for Scotland" paper of March 1999 and the SUfI Development Plan of October 1998 all invited comment on our plans to establish the Scottish University for Industry by autumn 2000. Respondents overwhelmingly supported the establishment of the Scottish UfI.The Scottish UfI will be required to develop a number of success criteria which will be monitored and published. These will include targets such as the number of enquiries to the Scottish UfI helpline, the numbers taking up learning, the numbers progressing to further learning and the numbers completing learning. The Scottish UfI will be expected to publish an annual report and will be required to meet tough targets under a contractual agreement with the Scottish Executive for its funding.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 12 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will launch a marketing campaign aimed at small and medium si'e businesses to highlight the potential benefits of the Scottish University for Industry.
Answer
The Scottish University for Industry's branding and communications strategy will be central to stimulating the demand for learning. The Scottish UfI will develop an extensive communications strategy, targeted at a number of sectors including SMEs. The Scottish UfI will work closely with local enterprise companies, and with representative bodies, to ensure that small firms are aware of, and can benefit from, the Scottish University for Industry.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 2 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set up a body, similar to the MacFarlane Trust which exists to provide help to people in the haemophilia community who incur extra costs of living arising from HIV or AIDS as a result of having received contaminated blood products in the UK, to provide such support for those who have contracted hepatitis C in the same manner.
Answer
The circumstances surrounding those who may have contracted Hepatitis C through treatment with blood products are tragic. I have met the Haemophilia Society to hear their concerns at first hand and officials within my Department are making enquiries into the circumstances surrounding this issue. I will be better placed to consider whether any further action on the part of the Scottish Executive is indicated when these enquiries are completed.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 2 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government recommending that the remit of the MacFarlane Trust be extended to allow haemophilia sufferers in Scotland inflicted with hepatitis C as a result of receiving contaminated blood products in the UK to benefit from the work of the Trust.
Answer
I would refer Mr Ewing to the answer given to his question S1W-823.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 29 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations from Action on Smoking and Health (Scotland) with regard to the draft Tobacco Prohibition of Advertising and Promotion Regulations 1999 on (a) the promotion of goods or services other than tobacco products by association with a named brand of cigarettes known as 'brand stretching' and (b) the proposal of Her Majesty's government to allow an optional 2 years (beyond 2001) so that the ban is not implemented until 2003; whether it will seek to extend the proposed ban to cover indirect advertising by 'brand stretching', and whether it will support the implementation of the ban in 2001.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has received representations from Action on Smoking and Health (Scotland). These and other comments received in response to the consultation exercise will be taken into account in finalising the Scottish regulations.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 28 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the Scottish Tourist Board and what matters were discussed.
Answer
Henry McLeish met with Lord Gordon and his board on 15 October. They discussed the findings of the recent consultation exercise and the development of the new strategy for the Scottish tourism industry.
