- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions were held with (a) Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership and (b) Zetland Transport Partnership before it decided on the terms for the appointment of the consultants undertaking the study into the benefits of road equivalent tariff and, in particular, before it decided to limit the consultants’ choice of routes for consideration for inclusion in the pilot study to one or more of the routes connecting the Scottish mainland and the Western Isles and how each regional transport partnership responded to the proposals put to them.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3672 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: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used when deciding to limit the consultants’ choice of routes for consideration under the road equivalent tariff pilot study to one or more of the routes connecting the Scottish mainland and the Western Isles and how these criteria were applied to each of the public ferry routes to and between islands.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentcame into office with a manifesto commitment saying that we would “commission astudy into road equivalent tariff (RET) reporting on options for improved connectionsto our northern and western isles” and that “as part of this we will undertake apilot project on RET to the Western Isles”. That is precisely what we are now doing.
In taking forwardthis commitment we have engaged consultants to carry out the study including themonitoring and evaluation of the pilot. The consultants have been asked to liaisewith a range of stakeholders during the study including local authorities and regionaltransport partnerships. When appropriate, the Scottish Government will be involvedin these discussions.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any guidance to Scottish Enterprise on the future of the Business Gateway centres.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has regular contacts withScottish Enterprise on a range of matters, including the Business Gateway, in respectof which it is in the process of awarding new contracts for local delivery of gatewayservices. The future operation of the Business Gateway will be considered in thecontext of wider decisions as to reform of the Enterprise Networks, on which decisionswill be taken over the coming months. There has been no specific guidance issuedto Scottish Enterprise in relation to Business Gateway centres.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Business Gateway centres are in operation, broken down by local enterprise company area.
Answer
This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask it’s Chief Executive to write to youin response to this question.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that Highlands and Islands Enterprise should continue to operate a different, more broad-based model for economic development in its region than that operated by Scottish Enterprise.
Answer
Consideration of thereform and refocus the Enterprise Networks is now underway and this will take intoaccount the particular economic, geographical and social circumstances within theHighlands and Islands area.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is proposing to cut the funding of (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and, if so, what impact it estimates that this will have on the Business Gateway service.
Answer
Funding to the EnterpriseNetworks for 2008-11 will be determined after the spending review this autumn. Thereafterthe allocation of funds within the Enterprise Networks will remain an operationalmatter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Business Gateway centres are scheduled for closure, broken down by local enterprise company area.
Answer
This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its Chief Executive to write to you inresponse to this question.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Business Gateway centres are likely to close as part of its plans to reduce the size of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Answer
This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its Chief Executive to write to you inresponse to this question.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the Business Gateway in providing support to businesses.
Answer
This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its Chief Executive to write to you inresponse to this question.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has held any discussions with Scottish Enterprise on the future of the Business Gateway centres.
Answer
The Scottish Executiveholds regular discussions with Scottish Enterprise. These discussions cover a rangeof operational matters, including in respect of the Business Gateway.
