Seòmar agus comataidhean

The existing legislativeprovisions relating to the licensing of private hire cars contained in theCivic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 are currently under review. Independent ofthis, the Executive is aware of the alleged links between the operation of someprivate hire and taxi companies and organised crime and proposes to consult onwhat action, if any, should be taken to address these concerns.

Under the provisions of theCivic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, it is for individual licensingauthorities to determine the requirements for taxi testing and inspection forvehicles operating in their area, including where the necessary testcertificate can be obtained from. Information is not available centrally on thenumber of MOT testing centres authorised by individual authorities to providesuch services.

I have asked RobertCrawford, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, to respond. His response isas follows:

A summary of CreativeIndustries Cluster Investment in Publishing to date is as follows. 2001-02,£67,800; 2002-03, £183,250; 2003-04, £62,000. The total to date is £313,050.Future budgets are yet to be determined but support for this activity willremain a key part of our cluster strategy.

Scottish Arts Council hasprovided figures as set out in the following table. The figures do not includeNational Lottery funding.

Financial Year	Literature Grant Expenditure (£'000)	Total Grant Expenditure (£'000)	Literature Exp as a % of Total Grant Expenditure
1996-97	1,097	24,048	4.6
1997-98	1,078	25,706	4.2
1998-99	1,064	25,319	4.2
1999-2000	1,085	28,948	3.7
2000-01	1,267	29,975	4.2
2001-02	1,417	33,706	4.2
2002-03	1,479	34,384	4.3

The DisabilityDiscrimination Act 1995 provides for the introduction of taxi accessibility regulationscontaining the minimum specification requirements for such vehicles. Suchmatters are reserved to the Westminster Parliament, although their applicationin Scotland is executively devolved to the Scottish Parliament.Until such time as the regulations are introduced, and their application inScotland determined, licensing authorities, under the provisions of the CivicGovernment (Scotland) Act 1982, have discretion as to the type, size and designof taxi that may operate in their area, including whether they must bewheelchair accessible. While at present there is no statutory duty on licensingauthorities to require taxis to be wheelchair accessible, the Scottish Executive have encouraged licensing authorities to use their discretionary powersto improve the availability of taxis to people with disabilities.

The Scottish Executive has received a total of 166 responses to the report of the NicholsonCommittee. Those responses are currently being independently analysed and areport will be submitted to ministers. Ministers will therefore publish theirresponse to the consultation.

Aviation Security isreserved to the UK Government. It has made it clear that its policy, for securityreasons, is not to comment on when or where specific, additional securitymeasures are being deployed.

The deployment of skymarshals, and the operational impact this would have on policing at airports,would be for relevant Chief Constables to consider, linked to the enhancedsecurity levels currently in place at airports due to the internationalsecurity situation.

Any development proposalswhich did come forward would be assessed by the Executive on the basis of theirtrunk road impact.

Midlothian Council arecurrently in the process of undertaking a multi modal corridor study of theA701. The objective of this study is to assess what options may be available toencourage alternative modes of travel, other than the private car, within thiscorridor. If implemented, any recommendations would be taken into considerationin the Executive’s assessment of the traffic implications of any such futuredevelopment.

The electrification of the Edinburgh toAirdrie line, via Bathgate, is included within the specification of the Airdrie-Bathgateengineering feasibility study. The study’s completion is expected by the end ofMarch 2004.

Scotland’s tourism industry benefits greatly from thiscountry’s cultural history and Burns is one of Scotland’s greatest culturalicons. His work is well known around the world, and Burns Night presents anexcellent opportunity for the promotion of Scotland as a touristdestination. How this is done is primarily a matter for VisitScotland and otheragencies. However, the Scottish Executive does promote Burns within itstourism and cultural strategy. A wider understanding of his work has beenencouraged through the Executive’s commitment of £300,000 to the Scottish ArtsCouncil over the last three years to develop a range of socially inclusive Burnsprojects. In addition the Executive provided £100,000 for the second Burns anda’ that Festival last year, which provided an opportunity for Scots andvisitors alike to celebrate the life and works of Robert Burns. And the 250thanniversary of Burn’s birth in 2009 will be used to attract many more visitorsto Scotland to see his homeland for themselves.