- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 30 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27342 by Stewart Stevenson on 2 October 2009, whether it will list the combined weight of freight and freight vehicles or trailers carried and the metres of deck space allocated to them on each route operated by (a) Calmac Ferries Limited, (b) Cowal Ferries Limited and (c) NorthLink Ferries Limited in each of the last 10 years for which records are available.
Answer
Further to the answer to question S3W-27342 on 2 October 2009, only part of the information requested is available. Although each company monitors the overall weight of freight vehicles and trailers for loading and space allocation purposes, this data is not retained for record keeping purposes. However, deck space data is available showing the lane meterage used by commercial vehicles on the Gourock-Dunoon route (as currently operated by Cowal Ferries Ltd), on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network (as currently operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd) and on the Northern Isles ferry network (as currently operated by NorthLink Ferries Ltd). Please note that we do not hold comparable data for the Northern Isles prior to 2003.
The carrying statistics are available from the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre (Bib. number 49477).
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive by how much the budget for Highlands and Islands Enterprise will fall over the period of the current spending review, from 2007-08 to 2010-11, in (a) real and (b) cash terms.
Answer
The latest Gross Domestic Product deflators issued by Her Majesty''s Treasury shows 2008-09 as base year, 2009-10 as 1% and 2010-11 as 1.5%.
The right hand column of the table below shows the effect of applying these deflators to the Highlands and Islands Enterprise budget. The baseline is the financial year 2007-08.
| | Cash Budget £ Million | Cash Terms Reduction Against 2007-08 | Real Terms Reduction Against 2007-08 |
| 2007-08 | 89 | - | - |
| 2008-09 | 77.8 | £11.2 million | £11.2 million |
| 2009-10 | 74.8 | £3 million | £3.03 million |
| 2010-11 | 74.3 | £0.5 million | £0.507 million |
The reform of Highlands and Islands Enterprise has developed a sharper focus on its key role of supporting sustainable economic growth while continuing to support fragile rural communities. This has led to many success stories not least attracting Welcon Towers to Machrihanish to save and develop the wind tower manufacturing facility.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise should not be viewed in isolation however, as it is only one arm of the very significant package of funding we have in place to support and stimulate economic growth in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Skills Development Scotland, the newly established business gateway for the area, the Road Equivalent Tariff Scheme and the Town Centre Regeneration Fund together bring a funding investment of £26.7 million this year, in addition to that allocated to Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Businesses in the area also benefit from a range of non-domestic rates relief including the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which alone amounts to an estimated £14.4 million in 2009-10, Rural Rate Relief and Empty Property Relief.
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- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 8 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a consensus of support for proposals to consolidate planning policy guidance into a single document.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26758 on 22 September 2009. 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.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 2 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the quantity of freight carried on each route operated by Calmac Ferries Limited, (b) Cowal Ferries Limited and (c) NorthLink Ferries Limited in each of the last 10 years for which records are available.
Answer
The quantity of freight carried on a route-by-route basis is not available.
CalMac Ferries and Cowal Ferries record the number of commercial vehicles carried and the tariff is based on a lane metre charge, i.e. on the amount of deck space taken up by the vehicle on the ferry. NorthLink Ferries also charge on a lane metre basis for the transport of commercial vehicles and drop-trailers.
While all three companies monitor the overall weight of the vehicles/trailers carried for loading and space allocation purposes, the companies do not require their customers to produce a manifest of the type or quantity of freight being carried (although dangerous goods do need to be notified to the operators before shipment).
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 October 2009
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government is content with the rate of progress on the Home Insulation Scheme.
Answer
This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1001-01.htm
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26578 by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009, whether it will ask the Scottish Agriculture College to provide information on how many post-mortem examinations were carried out at the veterinary laboratory in Thurso in each year since 2000 and what the equivalent numbers were for each of the other veterinary laboratories in Scotland over the same period.
Answer
The Scottish Government is content to ask the Scottish Agriculture College to provide this information, and has indeed already done so. The information shall be shared with you when it is available.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 25 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the number of (a) passengers and (b) cars carried on each route operated by (i) CalMac Ferries Limited, (ii) Cowal Ferries Limited and (iii) NorthLink Ferries Limited in each of the last 10 years for which records are available.
Answer
The carrying statistics are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The Bib. numbers are as follows:
Northern Isles carrying statistics - 49274
Clyde and Hebrides carrying statistics - 49275
Gourock to Dunoon carrying statistics “ 49276.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from environmental NGOs and business groups regarding its intention to consolidate planning policy guidance into a single document.
Answer
One hundred and ninety-six responses were received following the consultation on the draft consolidated Scottish Planning Policy. Eighteen of these responses were from business groups and 28 were from environmental organisations.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a commitment to sustainable development remains an explicit component of the proposed single planning policy guidance.
Answer
Yes.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to make a statement to the Parliament on its intentions regarding the consolidation of planning policy guidance and, if so, when it plans to bring this to the Parliamentary Bureau for discussion.
Answer
The single Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) is a consolidation of existing policy rather than a review of policy. Scottish ministers intend to notify Parliament by means of a letter to the Convenor of the Local Government and Communities Committee prior to publication of the consolidated SPP.
