Seòmar agus comataidhean

There are currently no plans to update signage on the M74 to specifically highlight visitor attractions in Dumfries and Galloway. Tourist signs, highlighting visitor attractions are introduced following application from the tourist attraction providing they meet the criteria set out in Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Guidance document. As part of the current sign renewal programme, it is proposed that a number of additional destinations will be added to some route confirmatory signs (signs showing distance to destination) within the current fiscal year.

Transport Scotland works closely with the organisers of all major events and support is also provided through Traffic Scotland. This support consists of mini sites on the Traffic Scotland web site, the use of Traffic Scotland social media and the use of variable Message Signs (VMS). These resources are used to highlight to road users in the area of the possibility of increased traffic and are not used for the purpose of advertising specific events or tourist attractions.

The Scottish Government has continued stakeholder engagement since the introduction of the Children and Young People (Information Sharing) (Scotland) Bill 2017 in June. The meetings listed below were primarily about the about the Bill as introduced and discussion on the illustrative draft code will have formed part of the discussions.

The specification for the Public Local Inquiry is currently being finalised to allow the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) to make its arrangements. An independent reporter from DPEA will be appointed to consider the proposed plans and make a recommendation to Scottish Ministers. DPEA will, in due course, contact all those who have made objections to provide details of the process and the time and date of the Inquiry. However, it is too early to give any information on the expected timescale for completion of the Inquiry.

This information is available from the published 2016-17 Annual Report and Accounts of Scottish Enterprise.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

As this is the case, I have passed your question to Dr Lena Wilson, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, who will provide an answer to you directly.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-11557 on
5 October 2017 advising that the costs of operation and maintenance of electronic signs on the trunk road and motorway network are not recorded as a separate cost but included within the overall cost of the Traffic Scotland service. As such, it is not possible to provide this information. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Under the requirements of The Salmon Carcass Tagging (Scotland) Regulations 2016, any person who takes salmon from inland waters by means of netting is already required to tag each fish retained and, at the end of each fishing season, to submit to Marine Scotland a record of:

• the number of carcasses tagged;

• the fishery in which the fish was taken; and

• details of the unique tag used.

The form in which the annual return is to be made is not set out in the regulations and we have no current plans to set out the format of such returns in legislation. Similarly, we have no plans to impose a requirement on netsman to complete and submit a detailed record of daily fishing effort and of each individual salmon caught, as required in the Environment Agency returns. Such information is not currently required to inform Marine Scotland's assessment of the conservation status of salmon.

The approximate amounts spent on temporary lights at Enterkinfoot in each of the last three financial years are as follows:

£19,000 in 2014-15

£49,725 in 2015-16

£49,725 in 2016-17

Variable message signs and gantry signage are used in the provision of the Traffic Scotland service, helping to ensure a safe and efficient trunk road and motorway network and to improve journey time reliability efficiency through the provision of travel information for road users. The costs of operation and maintenance of electronic signs on the trunk road and motorway network are not recorded as a separate cost but included within the overall cost of the Traffic Scotland service.