Questions and answers

Question reference: S2W-05745

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 9 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the relationship is between it and OFCOM; what rights it has to give direction and guidance to OFCOM; what its role is in the appointment of any Scottish representative, and whether it has submitted any nominations, or commented on the suitability of a nominee, for such a representative and, if so, what advice it has given.

The Executive and OFCOM havea non-statutory relationship and are developing linkages to ensure appropriatedialogue. As OFCOM is a UK-wide regulator, only the UK Government has the statutorybasis for providing it with direction and guidance, including on appointments.

The Executive has beenupdated on progress with Scottish representative appointments to OFCOM by thenew regulator and also by Scotland Office.

Question reference: S2W-05747

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 9 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to obtain a dedicated digital channel or additional Scottish output for Scotland and the Gaelic language and, if it has, what stage any negotiations have reached.

In May 2002, a short-life working group was established to advise UK ministers onthe gaelic broadcasting provisions to be inserted into the draft communicationsbill. The Scottish Executive, Scotland Office and the Department of Culture Mediaand Sport participated along with other key stakeholders.

The working group helpedshape the Gaelic provisions of the Communications Act 2003. This actestablished a new gaelic media service (SnMG) to replace the present gaelic broadcastingcommittee (CCG).

The new legislation alsoenabled the gaelic media service to apply to OfCOM for a broadcast licence.This would allow a dedicated Gaelic TV channel to be delivered on a digitalplatform. This is now a matter for the board of the gaelic media service toconsider after consultation with relevant interests and stakeholders.

Question reference: S2W-05746

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 9 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is with regard to supporting and promoting traditional music and how much it has (a) spent on and/or (b) budgeted for traditional music in each year from 1999 to 2005, stating which organisations have received funding.

Support for all of thetraditional arts is a key part of the Executive’s cultural strategy. the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) gives traditional music priority across its variousfunding strands: education through organisations such as Feisan nan Gaidhealand Feis Rois and also through cultural co-ordinators and the Youth MusicInitiative; a national tutor training network; professional development andperforming opportunities; composition classes; traditional music officer postsin local authority areas; festivals such as Celtic Connections and HebrideanCeltic Festival; promotion through events such as Showcase Scotland. Inaddition, SAC Lottery awards to this sector include awards to the NationalYouth Pipe Band, the Gordon Gaitherin, the Feis movement and CelticConnections.

Detailed information on thesums spent on and budgeted for traditional music is given in the document ScottishArts Council - Scottish Executive Awards toTraditional Music 1999 to 2004 a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30870). It is estimated that in eachof the last two years over £1 million has been allocated to traditional musicacross the country from both voted and Lottery funds.

Question reference: S2W-05816

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 9 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government in respect of the implications of London's bid to host the Olympic Games in 2012 for Scotland's sporting infrastructure and whether there are any plans to (a) construct a stadium in Edinburgh or (b) provide full si'e indoor stadia elsewhere in Scotland as part of the bid.

The Scottish Executive is liaising with Her Majesty's Government with a view to maximising thebenefit for Scotland which a successful London 2012 bid would generateand to minimising any adverse impact of Lottery funding for good causes in Scotland.

There are no plans forsports facility developments in Scotland as part of the London bid.

Hampden Park has been nominated as one of the venues for theOlympic football tournament.

Question reference: S2W-05508

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 5 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government in respect of addressing any shortage of qualified HGV drivers in Scotland, in light of the impact of any such shortage on the economy.

I am aware of the concernsof the Scottish haulage industry regarding the recruitment and retention of HGVdrivers. Communication with Westminster is maintained on this issue through ScottishExecutive attendance at the UK road haulage forum.

My officials have also beenworking closely with Scottish representatives from the Road HaulageAssociation, the Freight Transport Association and Skills for Logistics inseeking ways to address these concerns. As a result, in the past year we havelaunched two training initiatives funded through the Scottish Road HaulageModernisation Fund. These are: The Young Driver Training Scheme and the Scottish Driver Training Scheme (aimed at over 21s).

My officials continue tomeet industry representatives on a regular basis and are currently consideringfurther initiatives to address recruitment and retention of staff within theindustry in Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-05374

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 5 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual expenditure has been on public relations and advertising by Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd since 1997 and what the estimated budget for such expenditure is for the next three years.

The annual amounts are as follows:

	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04 est	2004-05 est	2005-06	2006-07
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
HIAL	32,703	38,648	51,263	58,728	57,661	146,608	192,381	173,000	*	*
Support through HIAL from other agencies		30,000	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Totals	32,703	68,648	51,263	58,728	57,661	146,608	192,381	173,000	*	*

Note: *estimated amounts are not available but HIAL’s 5-year plan shows that the figures will increase each year by inflation

Question reference: S2W-05642

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 4 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is to develop and expand (a) cruise liner visits and (b) the cruise liner sector in Scotland; what funding is available to support the cruise liner sector; what organisations are responsible, and in what role, for the promotion of the sector, and how much funding each organisation will be expected to provide.

This is an operationalmatter for VisitScotland, which is responsible for maximising the economicbenefits of tourism to Scotland.

VisitScotland does recognisethe importance of the cruise market. It provided start up funding forCruiseScotland to attract more business from this sector, and is nowrepresented on its board. The future structure of CruiseScotland is beingdiscussed with VisitScotland, which has agreed to assist with research anddevelopment.

There has of course beenconsiderable private sector investment in the cruise market, for example at OceanTerminal at Leith. The public sector has also been active whereappropriate; for example Highland Council markets its cruise ports in the northto the international cruise market.

Question reference: S2W-05497

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 4 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support the teaching of English as a foreign language (TEFL); how TEFL has been supported in each of the last four years; what information it has in respect of the organisations that support TEFL; what plans it has to promote TEFL abroad and which organisations will be involved in this process; what financial benefits TEFL has brought in each year since 1997; how many visitors have come to Scotland to learn English as a foreign language since 1997, and what funding will be made available to organisations to promote TEFL in each of the next three years, broken down by organisation.

The promotion of TEFL tointernational students visiting Scotland is part of the work of Education UK Scotland, whichis core-funded by the British Council and supported by the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Higher and Further Education Funding Councils. Scottish Executive funding for 2002-03 for Education UK Scotland is £50,000, with anadditional activities grant for 2002-03 of £30,000. Additional funding for the TEFLprogramme comes from the Scottish Independent Schools Council and the ScottishEnglish Language Teaching Consortium.

EducationUK Scotland promotes TEFL through the production of promotional materials(including the Education UK Scotland website, which contains a searchabledatabase of all English language courses available in Scotland),attendance at education fairs overseas and hosting visits to Scotland foreducation agents. Education UK Scotland is also working with the ScottishEnglish Language Teaching Consortium (SELTIC) to add value to their efforts inmarketing English language courses in Scotland.

BritishCouncil Scotland estimates that in year 2002-03, there were around 21,000(non-EU) international students in Scotland, generating an estimated £130 million for the Scottish economy and supporting around 7,000 full time jobs.

The British Council'snetwork of offices in 110 countries also continues to promote TEFL in the UK andoverseas, and encourages students from overseas to come to all parts of the UK,including Scotland, to learn English.

Question reference: S2W-05525

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 3 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-1058 and S2W-2070 by Tavish Scott and Mr Andy Kerr on 28 July and 5 September 2003 respectively, what recent dealings it has had with the Nordic Council of Ministers; what involvement it will have with the council in 2004, and whether it will seek full or associate membership of the council in 2004.

The Scottish Executive has had recent contacts with the Nordic Council of Ministers on anumber of policies of common interest, including regional development, throughthe Nordic-Scottish Action Plan; culture, through the Network North initiative;and the marine environment, at the North Atlantic Conference in Lerwick on 1-2 October2003. We will continue to pursue these contacts in the year ahead and willconsider other opportunities for co-operation where they are likely to deliverbenefits for Scotland.

On the question ofmembership of the council, I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-2070on 5 September 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

Question reference: S2W-05549

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Mary Mulligan on 29 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting short-term volunteering, with particular regard to the time taken for police checks on such volunteers before they can commence their voluntary service.

The Scottish Executive is currently finalising its volunteering strategy, the overall aim ofwhich is to embed a robust culture of volunteering in Scotland.The strategy will encompass all types of organised volunteering, including short-termvolunteering.

The Scottish Executive covers the cost of standard and enhanced police checks for voluntarysector volunteers working with children, young people and vulnerable adults. Wealso core fund the Central Registered Body in Scotland to process applicationsfor free checks for the voluntary sector and to forward them to DisclosureScotland which issues the disclosure certificates. Furthermore we haveauthorised the recruitment of additional staff at Disclosure Scotland to reducethe turnaround times for applications and the position is improving.

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