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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-03673

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive which ferry routes were considered for the pilot study into the application of road equivalent tariff (RET) to ferry routes before it decided to limit the choice of its consultants undertaking the study into the benefits of RET to one or more of the routes connecting the Scottish mainland and the Western Isles.

Question reference: S3W-03674

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions were held with (a) Orkney Islands Council, (b) Shetland Islands Council, (c) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, (d) Argyll and Bute Council and (e) Highland Council 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 council responded to the proposals put to them.

Question reference: S3W-03675

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
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.

Question reference: S3W-03672

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-02554

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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.

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.

Question reference: S3W-02549

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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.

Question reference: S3W-02558

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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.

Question reference: S3W-02552

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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.

Question reference: S3W-02550

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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.

Question reference: S3W-02551

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2007
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.