- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 December 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what programmes were supported by the Business Development category of EU Support and Related Services in 2010-11 and how it considers that these could be reduced by 19% in 2011-12, as indicated in table 11.03 on page 174 of Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12.
Answer
The reduction in the Business Development budget affects capital schemes which form part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). This includes: funding under the Food Processing Marketing and Co-operation Grant Scheme; support to help crofters improve the viability of their rural businesses through the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme; support for capacity building through the Skills Development Scheme; support for business modernisation and quality assurance under Land Managers Options, and support for agricultural and forestry business development under Rural Priorities.
Spend on food and drink and renewables has been protected. For Rural Priorities, the £250,000 cap placed on Axis 1 business development projects earlier this year will help to spread out this funding and give more applicants a chance of success.
The draft budget will not reduce the Scottish Government''s capacity to support high quality projects.
Under the SRDP, awards are paid on project completion. The draft budget allows the Scottish Government to honour its commitment to existing projects in full.
- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 December 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what programmes were supported by the Rural Enterprise category of EU Support and Related Services in 2010-11 and how it considers that these could be reduced by 58% in 2011-12, as indicated in table 11.03 on page 174 of Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12.
Answer
The Rural Enterprise budget supports off-farm/forest rural development through the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). Support is mainly delivered through Rural Priorities, where activities include renewable energy, development of micro-enterprises and diversification of off-farm/forest based businesses. Under Land Managers'' Options, support is provided for active management to encourage tourism. This budget also covers payments under legacy schemes that are no longer open to applicants.
Reductions reflect the decrease of Land Management Contract Menu Scheme (LMCMS) legacy payments for maintenance of access, and the projected budget outturn in 2010-11.
The draft budget will not reduce the Scottish Government''s capacity to support high-quality projects.
Under the SRDP, awards are paid on project completion. The draft budget allows the Scottish Government to honour its commitment to existing projects in full.
- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will reduce the budget for the Scottish Environment and Protection Agency from £44.3 million in 2010-11 to £39.4 million in 2011-12, as reported in table 11.06 on page 178 of Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is preparing for a reduction in its grant-in-aid in 2011-12 by continuing to implement a programme of significant transformational change designed to deliver the Agency''s regulatory functions more effectively and efficiently from a smaller cost base. This will allow SEPA to become a leaner regulator, by delivering a more risk-based and proportionate approach to regulation while focussing on its main objective of protecting Scotland''s environment and human health. The Scottish Government will work closely with SEPA to ensure it continues to be adequately resourced to deliver its core regulatory duties and support sustainable economic growth.
- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will reduce the budget for the Forestry Commission from £55.1 million in 2010-11 to £47.7 million in 2011-12, as reported in table 11.06 on page 178 of Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12, and what programmes will contribute to the reduction in programme costs.
Answer
The Forestry Commission Scotland budget for 2011-12 will reduce by £7.4 million when compared to the 2010-11 Budget. This will be achieved by reducing £2 million from the Timber Transport Fund and £2.4 million from capital and the remaining £3 million is made up by the difference between the £8.9m (increase in available grants) of the £11.9 million EU income.
- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how the projected outturn efficiency of £3.071 million by Scottish Natural Heritage reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2009-10 has been achieved.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage''s (SNH) outturn efficiency of £3.071 million for 2009-10, comprising both recurring and non-recurring savings, was achieved as follows:
| Categories | Measures Taken | Cash-Releasing Efficiencies (£ million) |
| Shared Services | Implementing Scotland''s Environment and Rural Services Frontline Delivery project. | 0.001 |
| Asset Management | Primarily the disposal of surplus freehold and leasehold property in Edinburgh and Oban. | 0.460 |
| Procurement | Primarily a change in pension provider and internet security software contracts. | 0.043 |
| Other Initiatives | Primarily vacancy management and efficient staff utilisation, reviews of landline and mobile telephone usage and increasing on-line publishing on SNH''s website. | 2.567 |
SNH also achieved time-releasing efficiencies of £0.233 million for 2009-10 by implementing: a new database to help with site condition monitoring; a new HR management information system; and, the final phase of a project to improve SNH''s recruitment process.
- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how the projected outturn efficiency of £4.046 million by Scottish Environment Protection Agency reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2009-10 has been achieved.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency achieved cash releasing efficiency savings of £4.046 million for 2009-10 by improving the way it delivered services, without material detriment to the quality of the services provided. Efficiency savings were achieved as follows.
| Measures Taken | Efficiencies Achieved (£ million) |
| Implementing more efficient working practices, absorption of new work and re-engineering of service delivery. | 2.082 |
| Reduction in property maintenance and property improvement projects. | 0.618 |
| Reduction in procurement and increased in-house training. | 1.023 |
| Reduction in travel costs. | 0.163 |
| Reduction in research and development programme. | 0.05 |
| Cessation of Regional Boards. | 0.06 |
| Reduction in cost of pool vehicles. | 0.05 |
- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how the projected outturn efficiency of £0.02 million in Animal Health and Welfare Publicity reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2009-10 has been achieved.
Answer
The efficiency saving of £20,000 was achieved by using new methods of providing information to farmers and other stakeholders on animal health and welfare matters. Making greater use of text messaging and email reduced the cost of mailshots whilst maintaining the same level of service.
- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the projected outturn efficiency reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2009-10 for Marine Scotland is £1.51 million as compared with the published planned efficiency of £2.172 million.
Answer
In the Efficient Government Programme 2008-11 Marine Scotland''s predecessor bodies were set the following targets:
| Year | Target (£ million) | Outturn (£ million) |
| 2008-09 | 3.159 | 3.653 |
| 2009-10 | 2.172 | 1.51 |
| 2010-11 | 3.258 | |
Marine Scotland was created on 1 April 2009. The target figure in 2008-09 was exceeded by £0.494 million, and fell short by £0.662 million in 2009-10 giving a net shortfall over the two years of £0.168 million. The shortfall was largely related to the transition from the previous structural arrangements to create Marine Scotland. Some structural changes, which will generate significant efficiencies, have a lead time and are taking place in the second year of Marine Scotland. The expectation is that Marine Scotland will achieve the efficiency savings target over the life of the Efficient Government Programme.
- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how the projected outturn efficiency of £0.074 million by the Deer Commission for Scotland reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2009-10 has been achieved.
Answer
The Deer Commission for Scotland''s outturn efficiency of £0.074 million in 2009-10, comprising recurring savings, was achieved through decreased accommodation costs associated with its co-location with Scottish Natural Heritage in Great Glen House.
- Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfries, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how the projected outturn efficiency of £10.6 million by Forestry Commission Scotland reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2009-10 has been achieved.
Answer
The Efficiency Delivery Plans, published in April 2009, provide full details of all Scottish Government efficiency projects. The Forestry Commission Scotland efficiency target was achieved by selling those assets delivering least against the Scottish Government objectives.
