Chamber and committees

The total spend to date for the trunk road elements of the A92 Bankhead Interchange is £5.240 million. The Bankhead Roundabout, associated road improvements and environmental improvements were, in general, aid to economic development and not specific to the Canon development.Canon's Glenrothes facility did not require the use of advance factory accommodation. The land that Canon's facility is located on was purchased by the company which custom built the facility to meet its needs.

The Scottish Energy Efficiency Office (SEEO) is in contact with local authority energy managers and with CoSLA to ensure that all authorities are aware of how the climate change levy will affect them and what they can do to mitigate its impact. Seminars; press articles; and the SEEO website are also being used to disseminate information on the CCL, including advice on how electricity from qualifying renewable energy sources and good quality Combined Heat and Power schemes will be exempt from the levy.

As part of an ongoing programme, the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office (SEEO) is endeavouring to make Scottish businesses aware of how the climate change levy will affect them and what they can do to mitigate its impact. Information on the CCL is being disseminated by way of seminars, other business events, press articles, the SEEO website, and the Enterprise Network. The SEEO is also working with the major energy suppliers in Scotland with a view to sending information on the CCL to their business customers. Included in the information being disseminated is advice on how electricity from qualifying renewable energy sources and good quality Combined Heat and Power schemes is exempt from the levy.

All three water authorities have made assessments of the impact of costs of the climate change levy. At this stage, their estimates are as follows:

East of Scotland Water Authority: £400,000 per annum

West of Scotland Water Authority: £900,000 per annum

North of Scotland Water Authority: £475,000 per annum

The climate change levy will apply to all business in both the private and public sectors, and is an instrument designed to encourage energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases. It would therefore not be appropriate to attempt to mitigate its impact. The monies raised will be returned to the business sector in full through a reduction in National Insurance Contributions and through support for energy efficiency measures.

It has not been necessary in the operational work of the office to have a working definition of "donated income". The income of charitable organisations can come from private individuals, the private sector, grant-giving trusts or by way of grant from public funds held by both local and central government authorities.

The Scottish Charities Office has received 921 complaints since its establishment in 1992. The precise information on sources of complaints and disposal thereof is not readily available and cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost. The majority of complaints to the Charities Office come from members of the public. Other sources are officials of charities themselves and the police and Government departments.

The Scottish Charities Office has 19 investigations at present, eight cases where initial screening of concerns is being undertaken and 23 cases of counsel and assistance. In addition, there are 76 cases subject to monitoring by the Charities Office. In most instances the source of complaint is by complaint from members of the public. In a lesser number of instances concerns are brought to light by the police, Inland Revenue and the Charity Commission of England and Wales. Charities themselves, and their officials, are a frequent source of complaint. The information regarding the source of each case is not readily available and cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

The Scottish Charities Office was established on 27 July 1992. Orders of the Court of Session freezing bank accounts of Scottish charities have been made on five occasions and just over £27,000 is currently held in frozen accounts.

No such guidance has been issued by the Charities Office.

The operating costs of the Scottish Charities Office form part of the budget of the Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service. The provisional figure for the year to 31 March 2000 is £290,000. The final figure will be published in the annual report of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service which will be issued in the autumn.