- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executivewhether it intends to use Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme forage definitions or Integrated Administration and Control System land classifications in the assessment of applications to the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme after 2010 and what the reasons are for the choice.
Answer
We await the publicationof the European Commission’s fresh designation proposals in 2008 for the futureof Less Favoured Areas post-2010, and what this will mean for Scotland. Following this, proposals will be developed for a LessFavoured Area Support Scheme for the period 2010-13, and will be subject to a fullconsultation exercise.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out its programme for the study into the benefits of applying a road equivalent tariff (RET) to the fares on ferry routes and its subsequent plans to introduce RET, also indicating when (a) the review consultants are to report to ministers, (b) ministers intend to make public their plans for the introduction of RETs and (c) ministers plan to cut ferry fares to RET levels.
Answer
The study willcomprise three phases, an initial largely desk-based study to inform the pilotexercise, a subsequent pilot study in the Western Isles and a full evaluationof the impact and benefits of road equivalent tariff based on the evidencegathered during the pilot. The first phase of the study has begun and theconsultants will provide a draft report to the Scottish Government by the endof the year. The report will provide recommendations on the timing of the pilotexercise bearing in mind that lead time is required to prepare forimplementation. The pilot will begin as soon as practically possible.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the application of road equivalent tariff fares will provide islands served by longer ferry routes with a real benefit and that it will not widen any competitive disadvantage that such islands face in comparison with islands served by shorter routes.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentrecognises the vital importance of supporting Scotland’s island communities. We understand the genuine concerns from all of ourremote and fragile communities about the affordability of ferry travel and the impactthat has on island economies. The needs of islanders are our priority. We want tosee a Road Equivalent Tariff scheme developed that will bring real benefits forislanders. Focussing the pilot on the Western Isles will allow us to take informeddecisions on the potential roll-out of the scheme and of the associated costs andbenefits.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment was made of the likely range of vehicle and passenger road equivalent tariff (RET) rates per mile prior to the appointment of consultants to undertake the study into the benefits of RET, which allowed ministers to predict that RET would provide islanders with cheaper fares, and whether that prediction applies to all ferry services to and between islands.
Answer
Our expectation isthat fares based on Road Equivalent Tariff would be significantly lower than presentfares charged across the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles routes. However, there is no previous experience of RoadEquivalent Tariff in the UK and some advice is required on how the concept wouldtranslate into the precise fares charged on individual routes. This is an area thatour consultants have been asked to consider in preparation for the pilot exercise.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to apply some form of road equivalent tariff fare to passengers and vehicles travelling on all ferry services to and between islands and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3669 on 13 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 12 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive why Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme criteria are used for forage definitions when assessing applications to the Organic Aid Scheme when Integrated Administration and Control System land classifications are used for the assessment of Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme, Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme and Rural Stewardship Scheme applications and for previous Organic Aid Scheme applications.
Answer
Scottish ForestryGrant Scheme (SFGS) criteria have not been used to assess or determine eligibilityof forage definitions for applications under the Organic Aid Scheme (OAS). The definitions for forage have been in placefor over ten years in connection with the OAS.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 12 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of projects funded through the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives is due to be completed and when projects seeking continued funding will be advised of the outcome of the review.
Answer
The review of theScotland Against Drugs Pilot drug projects commissioned by the Scottish Centre forHealthy Working Lives (SCHWL) is in its final stages and is due to be completedduring September. The review will be published and projects seeking continued fundingwill be advised of its findings as soon as possible thereafter.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 12 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executivehow registered social landlords that are also registered charities can provide Homestake and other low-cost housing.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is asfollows:
Communities Scotlandhas advised all registered social landlords that the agency would be prepared toprovide Homestake funding through a wholly owned non‑charitable subsidiaryof the registered social landlord if any charitable registered social landlord hasconcerns about the impact on its charitable status. The Office of the Scottish CharityRegulator has raised the issue of charitable status and Homestake and other low-costhousing for sale with Communities Scotland and we are in discussion about this.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 11 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2952 by John Swinney on 14 August 2007 and given that it will make an announcement in due course on future policy on the location of public sector posts, on what basis it decided to base the new Scottish Legal Complaints Commission in Edinburgh and to cancel the planned relocation of NHS Health Scotland, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland to Glasgow.
Answer
The decision to basethe Scottish Legal Complaints Commission in Edinburgh was taken following careful consideration of the options identified by theprevious administration. As the Cabinet Secretary for Justice noted in his announcement,the decision reflects the need to ensure that the location chosen should be suitablyaccessible to potential users and would enable business continuity as well as representinga cost-effective solution offering the potential for future sharing of accommodationand/or sharing of services with other scrutiny bodies.
The decision to notto relocate the three NHS Special Health Boards from Edinburgh was taken followingan examination of the full business cases for the move which demonstrated that thisdid not represent the best use of resources which could be better invested in front-lineservices and in tackling health inequalities.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 24 August 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 6 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions were given to Transport Initiatives Edinburgh by the Executive in advance of redundancy decisions since May 2007.
Answer
Transport Scotland instructed Transport Initiatives Edinburgh Ltd on 4 July 2007 that no more money should be spent on the Edinburgh AirportRail Link project than is strictly unavoidable during the current review of itsgovernance and future.
