- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the use of vehicles using liquid petroleum gas can play in reducing the high cost of transport for businesses in the Highlands and Islands and what action it proposes to take to encourage its use.
Answer
Liquid petroleum gas can reduce vehicle running and maintenance costs. The Scottish Executive grant aids the Energy Savings Trust in Scotland to inter alia promote the UK Powershift programme which can fund from 25% to 75% of the additional cost of buying a clean fuel vehicle. The Scottish Executive is encouraging the Trust to use its funding to support projects in the Highlands and Islands.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what role it can play to encourage energy companies to install liquid petroleum gas supply points throughout the Highlands and Islands.
Answer
The Scottish Executive funds the Energy Savings Trust in Scotland to promote the use of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) vehicles including supply points, primarily through the Trust's UK Powershift programme. In December 1999 I launched Shell's MotorGas fuel network which will further encourage an expanded LPG supply network in Scotland.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes to work with the automobile industry to encourage the production and sale of cars and small commercial vehicles using liquid petroleum gas.
Answer
The Scottish Executive funds the Energy Savings Trust in Scotland to promote inter alia the UK Powershift programme which seeks to stimulate the market for clean fuel vehicles. Powershift is a government-backed initiative, in partnership with the supply and demand sides of the market aimed at creating a sustainable market for clean fuel vehicles.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 20 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when it applied to the European Commission for approval to implement the Infectious Salmon Anaemia re-start scheme.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer I gave to his question number S1W-2995.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 20 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that the European Commission will accept the Infectious Salmon Anaemia re-start scheme, and when it expects the Commission to approve the scheme.
Answer
My officials have had informal discussions with the European Commission and with the United Kingdom representative in Brussels (UKREP) on the proposal. There has also been liaison with Whitehall Departments. In the light of these discussions a finalised notification to the Commission was made on 23 December. We stand ready to meet the Commission and offer any further clarification as required.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 20 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when the first year for the Infectious Salmon Anaemia re-start scheme will end and whether it expects the #3 million available under the scheme to be fully utilised.
Answer
Mindful of where we are in the financial year, the intention is to make available £1 million in 1999-2000 and £4 million in each of the next two years. I envisage the funds being fully utilised.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 20 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what details are required by the Rural Affairs Department to assess eligibility for the Infectious Salmon Anaemia re-start scheme and whether these details are the same for each local enterprise area.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer I gave to his question number S1W-3002. The Department's response is based on its own records.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 20 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that, under the Infectious Salmon Anaemia re-start scheme, individual applicants will not have to provide matching funding, as stated by the Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs in his announcement to the salmon industry on 6 September 1999.
Answer
As with all HIE Schemes, applicants will be expected to contribute. The balance of contribution will be determined by EU State Aid rules, the attractiveness of the project, and the amount of public sector support needed for the project to proceed. The effects of ISA will be relevant to the third of these considerations. My announcement made clear that the requirement for matching funding, through an industry-wide levy, envisaged in the earlier Government Scheme would not apply.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 20 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, under the Infectious Salmon Anaemia re-start scheme, how many applications in each local enterprise company area received by the Rural Affairs Department are still held by the Department and have not been passed back to the local enterprise company.
Answer
The scheme is being administered by Highlands & Islands Enterprise, from whom details of applications are available. As part of the process my Department has undertaken to offer a view on eligibility within 10 working days. Seven enquiries have been received and six passed back.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 20 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether smolt production hatcheries will be eligible under the Infectious Salmon Anaemia re-start scheme.
Answer
The purpose of the scheme is to help fish and shellfish farmers affected by ISA to become re-established at their previous level of trading. The concentration of aid at this end of the production cycle is seen as the best way of helping smolt and other suppliers to recover business lost through the disease controls. It is however open to such suppliers to seek assistance through other discretionary HIE programmes.
