Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government published guidance on the use of consultants on its website on 24 April 2009, emphasising that consultants are only to be used where absolutely necessary to deliver an organisation''s specific objectives, and introducing strict controls over the authorisation of expenditure on consultants. This guidance currently applies to Scottish Government, but we are discussing with NDPBs how best to apply the guidance to their situation. Our aim is to see an overall reduction in expenditure on consultancy services across the public sector, continuing the downward trend in use of consultancy services highlighted in recent figures released by Transport Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise.

As part of the Public Procurement Reform Programme, the Central Government Centre of Procurement Expertise (CGCoPE) and Procurement Scotland (PS) were set up within the Scottish Procurement Directorate (SPD). These organisations help NDPBs to access collaborative procurement solutions, reduce the need to run their own competitions and focus on improved delivery of procurement requirements appropriate to their organisation.

SPD provides a wide range of advice and guidance to assist suppliers and purchasers in the delivery of efficient and cost-effective procurement services to the wider public sector. In addition, the Public Scotland Contracts portal, www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk, gives free access to public sector contract opportunities in Scotland for suppliers and purchasers alike.

Creating the appropriate grid infrastructure to support future renewable energy developments in the Pentland Firth and throughout Scotland is a priority for this government. It is also a key feature of the Marine Roadmap, being developed by the Forum for Renewable Energy in Scotland''s Marine Energy Group (MEG), and which is due for publication in August.

The European Union has also identified sub sea grids in the North Sea as a strategic priority for infrastructure. We are currently working with the group led by former German Energy Minister Georg Adamowitsch, who is the European Commissions grid coordinator to prepare recommendations for implementation, which will include funding issues. A number of Scottish bodies have, for example, applied for funding of grid infrastructure projects under the EU''s Economic Recovery Programme, where applications closed on 15 July 2009.

The Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership (CNSRP), formed in 2006, aims to drive forward new initiatives to counteract the effects which the decommissioning of Dounreay nuclear plant will have on the area''s economy. The CNSRP''s published action plan (link below) includes plans to develop services and infrastructure at Scrabster Harbour, develop Wick Harbour and create the appropriate grid infrastructure to support future developments in the Pentland Firth. http://www.cnsrp.org.uk/files/downloads/download789.pdf.

An energy infrastructure requirement assessment is currently being undertaken by Scottish Enterprise, working closely with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Development International. This will go a significant way to identifying the current availability of infrastructure for renewable energy projects in the Pentland Firth and beyond. HIE is working with many of the developers who are currently bidding for sea bed leases in the Pentland Firth. Once the successful developers are known, HIE will be able to confirm their requirements.

In 2001, following a period of consultation, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) published a strategy focusing on securing economic benefit from the decommissioning of Dounreay. This strategy was refreshed in 2006 and the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership (CNSRP) was formed. The partnership''s executive board comprises of senior representatives from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Highland Council, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and the Scottish Government.

In 2007 the partnership published a 50-point action plan based on the refreshed strategy, specifying a range of projects which it intends to deliver within proposed timescales, to drive forward new initiatives to counteract the effects which the decommissioning of Dounreay nuclear plant will have on the area''s economy

We have no plans to carry out a review of voluntary organisations, in the Highlands and Islands or elsewhere.

Across the country third sector intermediary organisations are considering how best to engage with the community planning partnership for their area in a process which should lead to single interfaces between the third sector and the community planning partnership. The goal is for the third sector to be able to make a strong contribution to the development of the single outcome agreement and to advise on the delivery of the agreed outcomes.

This is a positive process with nine interfaces already in place and working towards these objectives. We believe that the majority of areas will have such arrangements in place by March 2010.

Actions have been taken by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) as this was an operational matter for that organisation to deal with. I will ask the HIE chief executive to write to you in this regard.

The Scottish Government reviewed procedures for the procurement of consultancy in 2008 and the Scottish Procurement Directorate published revised guidance on the use of consultants on its website on 24 April 2009. This guidance applies to the Scottish Government, however NDPBs are also encouraged to adopt the guidance.

This information is not held centrally.