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The Scottish Government has responded to the UK Government''s consultation on how the mechanism for its proposed cap on immigration should operate. Our opposition to an annual limit on immigration is based on the potentially serious economic consequences for Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33906 on 11 June 2010. I mentioned the UK Government''s commitment to review the control and use of accumulated and future revenues from the Fossil Fuel Levy in Scotland. Our view remains that these funds will be vital to the development of renewables infrastructure, technologies and capacity around Scotland. The UK Government is well aware of that view. We await the outcome of the UK Government''s promised review, and look forward to a positive announcement.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

There are various sizes of Variable Message Signs on the trunk road network and they cost in a range of approximately £135,000 to £190,000 and that includes all investigations, design, provision of power supply, construction of foundation and provision and erection of the VMS. Annual operating costs are approximately £1,800 and that includes power supply consumption, communications and maintenance costs.

Traffic Scotland is a service provided by Transport Scotland who is responsible for the strategy for messages displayed. This strategy focuses on providing accurate, up to date information to road users and, when no such information is required, providing safety and public transport related messages. Further information is available at www.trafficscotland.org.

The Council of Economic Advisers recommended that the Scottish Government undertake more research to better understand migration and to explore the factors affecting the decisions of both immigrants and emigrants. The Scottish Government accepted this recommendation, and we have undertaken an in-house review of research and statistical evidence to update our understanding of migration and emigration.

I have asked David Middleton, Chief Executive of Transport Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

Transport Scotland follows the resourcing policies of the Scottish Government and posts in the agency are created and removed to reflect changing business needs. From 1 April 2010 stricter controls on replacing leavers were introduced centrally and these changes have been implemented in Transport Scotland. As a cost saving measure, all unfilled posts have been removed from our staffing profile.

The project plans provide an east and west link near Kirkliston.

An assessment of the environmental impacts of the proposed scheme, during construction and operation, has been undertaken. Details of potential impacts, mitigation measures proposed to avoid or reduce impacts and any residual impacts are presented in the Environmental Statement, which can be found on the project website www.forthreplacementcrossing.info. These include groundwater and water environment impacts and highlighted a potential issue in the area around the South Queensferry junction.

A further assessment of this potential issue, based on the findings of the Forth Replacement Crossing project ground investigations carried out in 2008, 2009 and 2010 together with ongoing groundwater monitoring has been undertaken. This assessment, reported in September 2010, concludes that no adverse effects in relation to groundwater changes are foreseen in this area.

Projections of the number of homes to be built for rent or low-cost home ownership are not held centrally.

The numbers of affordable homes that have already been completed are published quarterly on the Scottish Government''s website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/NewBuild.

As the next host nation of the Commonwealth Games, Scotland is required and proud to take part in the official handover ceremony at the Games in Delhi. The First Minister and the Minister for Public Health and Sport will each attend part of the 2010 Games as representatives of a competing nation and to support our athletes, explore economic opportunities in India and to prepare Scotland to host the Games in Glasgow 2014.

Ministers are attending the event as guests of the Commonwealth Games Federation and the organisers of the Delhi Games. The details of the programme and ministerial support are still being finalised but we are working to ensure the best value for money and that numbers are either comparable or less than the delegation which attended the 2006 Melbourne Games.

There are no plans for either ministers or officials to visit the Maldives. The visit was originally mooted as a reciprocal arrangement with the government of Maldives after a visit to Scotland, but their visit was postponed at the time of the volcanic ash disruption, and didn''t take place over the summer during the process of resignation and reappointment of the Maldives Cabinet. Scottish/Maldives climate change co-operation is making substantial progress, and we expect to announce a joint marine energy initiative in the very near future.

The total cost of the production of the Independent Budget Review, including printing and publication, was as follows:

	£
a. Panel members'' expenses	2,000
b. Costs of design, printing, publication and media support	20,400
c. Launch, 29 July 2010	1,000
d. Total	23,400

Note: final costs have yet to be processed, and the figures provided represent a best estimate as at the date of this answer.

Members of the panel received no remuneration for their work between February and July 2010, when the panel''s report was published. However, reasonable expenses were met. These were modest. As can be seen from the table above, over 90% of the costs associated with the panel arose from the external work necessary to prepare the report for publication, to make it readily accessible, and to support communication of the report as widely as possible.

The Scottish Government believes that the modest costs associated with the work of the panel represent value for money.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35646 on 26 August 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx