- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 20 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is for the support and development of small craft businesses, such as those producing jewellery, ceramics, furniture, textiles and glass.
Answer
The creative industries are identified as a key sector of the economy in the Government Economic Strategy, and the Scottish Government wishes to strengthen Scotland''s reputation as a source of contemporary crafts of the highest quality. Advice and support to enable small craft businesses to network, to represent Scotland at key events abroad and to receive advice and training in business development, is available through the activities of the Scottish Arts Council, the Cultural Enterprise Office, the Business Gateway and others. Work is in hand in the context of the establishment of Creative Scotland to improve further the support provided to the creative industries.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sought advice on the legality of its decision to favour a select group of islands when introducing Road equivalent tariff fares on ferry routes and what the terms were of any such advice sought on the matter.
Answer
The Scottish Government has significant legal advice at its disposal. The Scottish Government does not normally publish the legal advice which it receives.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 19 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has noted the results of Fife Council’s Migrant Workers Survey; whether it will support a similar study on a national level, and how it would deliver such a study.
Answer
The Scottish Government intends commissioning some research shortly to review and analyse data and evidence relating to migration which exists at both a national and local level to see what it can tell us about migration and its impact, and to identify information gaps which need to be addressed. This will include looking at local research and surveys, such as that carried out by the Fife multi-agency working group.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to match the plans of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ministers who, as part of their Water Strategy, will convene a high-level meeting of stakeholders from all the relevant sectors to discuss how to make best use of anaerobic digestion to contribute to climate change and wider environmental objectives in a way that is cost-effective and beneficial to the environment.
Answer
There are no current plans to do so in relation to Defra''s Water Strategy. However, the Scottish government is keen to encourage the development of anaerobic digestion projects in Scotland.
I would refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10453 on 12 March 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 14 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to ensure that Scottish venues included in the London 2012 Olympic Games training camp guide are able to maximise the opportunities that this presents.
Answer
We will be discussing very soon with sportscotland, and other relevant bodies such as VisitScotland and EventScotland, on how and when we can best engage with representatives from these venues to ensure they maximise the opportunities that being included in the LOCOG Guide will bring. We will be in touch with the venues soon after.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to support or encourage the development of new training courses for people wishing to set up small craft businesses, such as those producing jewellery, ceramics, furniture, textiles and glass.
Answer
The Scottish Government will continue to support the work of Skillsfast-UK, the sector skills council for the craft sector, in encouraging employers to utilise the business start-up training and training in business skills delivered by the business gateway in Scotland.
Skillsfast-UK is a key partner in the development of training courses for their sector, including business skills and the Scottish Government has reaffirmed their role in Scotland as stated in Skills for Scotland “ a lifelong skills strategy.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 14 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what role VisitScotland is envisaged to have in maximising the benefits to the Scottish venues included in the London 2012 Olympic Games training camp guide.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10759 on 14 March 2008. 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/webapp/wa.search. sty
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any assessment of the availability of training courses for people wishing to set up small craft businesses, such as those producing jewellery, ceramics, furniture, textiles and glass, and what the conclusion was of any such assessment.
Answer
Skillsfast-UK, the sector skills council for the craft sector, in partnership with the Scottish Government, has carried out research in the craft sector with a focus on the Highlands and Islands. Part of this research looked at the business start-up training and training in business skills delivered in Scotland by the business gateway.
The conclusion of this research was that there is still a need for generic business training within the craft sector. Skillsfast-UK will continue to work in partnership with the enterprise networks and other stakeholders to ensure that the supply of business training meets the demand from within the sector.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether fares for cars, passengers and 10-metre long commercial vehicles on each of the ferry services operated by Calmac Ferries Ltd and not included in the road equivalent tariff pilot would increase or decrease and, if so, by how much, if the fares were set using the road equivalent tariff fares proposed for ferries to the Western Isles from 18 October 2008.
Answer
The consultants are currently finalising the first phase of the study into road equivalent tariff (RET). The report will include details of current fares and potential RET fares for all ferry services subsidised by the Scottish Government.
As a general principle, no fares would rise as the result of the application of the proposed formula.
I will ensure that you are sent a final copy of the report when it is available.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for its proposed charging system for commercial vehicles on ferries to the Western Isles, which is to be based on the road equivalent tariff and which involves basing ferry fares on the cost of travelling an equivalent distance by road, but which would charge 10-metre long commercial vehicles £201.80 to travel one mile and £203.60 to travel two miles.
Answer
To establish a fair rate for commercial vehicles the consultants for the road equivalent tariff (RET) study considered Road Haulage Association and Freight Transport Association rates. The suggested rate reflects a cost of £1.80 per mile for a 10-metre vehicle which is broadly comparable with the data provided by those organisations.
The current fare structure for commercial vehicles on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service network is based on the length of the vehicle. It is clear that there is a strong correlation between the length and weight of the vehicle and the cost per mile of running that vehicle. The consultants recommended that the fare per mile for a commercial vehicle continues to reflect the length of the vehicle carried and also reflect the running cost of the vehicle. The new fare will therefore be a rate per metre per mile.
Using a core rate of £20 maintains a link to the actual cost of providing and maintaining vessels and harbours. It is important that any scheme is affordable, not just for the pilot exercise but for any future roll-out.
Consequently, the road equivalent tariff rate for a 10-metre commercial vehicle to travel one mile would be £21.80 and to travel two miles £23.60, not £201.80 and £203.60 as suggested in the member''s question.
The RET rate represents a significant saving for commercial vehicles using the pilot routes.
