Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive’s prioritiesfor transport are:

full utilisation of the currentrail and road networks;

delivering the right infrastructurefor business success, and

a focus on the needs of Scottishcommuters, working to make journeys greener, safer and easier.

As a first step, we have alreadyannounced that we will remove tolls from the Forth and Tay Bridges.

The primary objectives forthe Scottish planning system are, as set out in SPP1 (Scottish Planning Policy1: The Planning System), to:

setthe land use framework for promoting sustainable economic development;

encourageand support regeneration; and

maintainand enhance the quality of the natural heritage and built environment.

The passage of the Planningetc. (Scotland) Act 2006 was the first step in a modernisationprocess aimed at creating a more efficient, inclusive and sustainable planningsystem that is fully fit for purpose. Immediate priorities are now focussed onimplementing the act and realising a change in culture among planningprofessionals and other stakeholders in the planning system. Priorities includethe introduction of secondary legislation and policy to regulate and guide therevised working of the development planning and development management systems,and the preparation of the second National Planning Framework.

The Scottish Government plansto utilise fully the current road and rail networks, deliver a replacement Forthcrossing as soon as practicable and take forward key improvements to nationallysignificant trunk routes. We will improve services for Scotland’s railcommuters, with an aim to providing more space, more frequent services and fasterjourney times. We will work towards ensuring that Scotland hasa comprehensive bus network where sustainable bus services are delivered to a highquality. We will promote and encourage an extension of Scotland’s internationalair connections and we will improve accessibility to Scotland’s mostremote communities by continuing to support the air discount scheme and lifelineferry services.

As a first step, we have alreadyannounced that we will remove tolls from the Forth and Tay Bridges.

We are committed tofollowing through on the strategy and action plan set out in Better business– a strategy and action plan for social enterprise in Scotland (Bib. number 42840) which highlights the importantcontribution a social enterprise business model can make to life in Scotland. Thisincludes support towards corporate development of social enterprises.

Our prime objective is toincrease the rate of Scottish economic growth and to ensure that this iseconomically and environmentally sustainable. We will aim to bring it into linewith that of other small European nations. We intend to use a range of measuresto achieve that including lowering business rates, improving access to businessfinance, supporting innovation and lightening the regulatory burden forbusiness. We also want to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of deliveryof economic development activity and are currently looking at how ScottishEnterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise can contribute to that.

The Executive’s key objectivefor Scottish tourism is to support sustainable growth of the contribution that tourismmakes to economic growth right across Scotland, thus achieving the widely shared ambition to grow tourismrevenues by 50% over the decade to 2015. This sustainable growth will be achievedby tourism businesses delivering continuous improvement to the excellent and variedproducts and services which they already offer, and marketing them effectively totheir guests. The Year of Homecoming in 2009 will also play an important part instimulating growth, as will major events such as the Ryder Cup in 2014.

We want to support tourism businesseswhich share that ambition to grow tourism revenues. They will be supported by VisitScotlandand the enterprise agencies working very closely together to attract more visitorsto come to Scotland through world class marketing and innovative product development,and to encourage them to come back by ensuring that they are delighted by the warmthof the welcome they receive. That is why tourism has been incorporated into my Energy,Enterprise and Tourism portfolio, demonstrating our recognition that tourism isa major growth area in Scotland’s economy.

Through our trade andinvestment arm, Scottish Development International, we will promote Scottisheconomic growth by:

increasing the participationof Scottish companies – especially those with strong growth potential in theindustries¹ designated as high priority by the enterprise networks –in international markets;

encouraging companies basedoutside Scotland, especially those in the priority industries, to dobusiness in or with Scotland; and

encouraging talentedindividuals with skills needed by Scotland’s priority industries to pursue their careers here.

Note 1: Scottish Enterprise has identified six industries that have thepotential to grow faster than the Scottish average. These are financialservices; electronic markets; energy; life sciences; tourism; and food anddrink. Scottish Enterprise has also identified priority industries that havethe potential to create disproportionate growth in specific regions of Scotland.These are textiles; aerospace; shipbuilding and marine; chemicals; construction;and forest industries. Highlands and Islands Enterprise has also identified sixpriority industries. These are tourism; food and primary products; healthsciences; renewables; manufacturing and engineering; and creative industries.

For 2007-13, European StructuralFunds will contribute to achieving the key priorities of the new administration.In particular, our priorities for a wealthier and fairer Scotland anda smarter Scotland can be enhanced by productive use of European fundingwithin the framework set by the Lisbon Agenda. The specific aims and objectivesof the new programmes are set out in the individual documents, available throughthe Executive’s Structural Funds website (www.scotland.gov.uk/structuralfunds).In addition, we will take full advantage of the new opportunities available underthe Territorial Cooperation Objective to develop links and work jointly with ourIrish, Nordic and other partners. The Executive will also ensure appropriate systemsare in place to ensure the efficient delivery of projects consistent with, and contributingto, programme goals in line with EU audit requirements and to relieve further theburden of applying and managing projects to stakeholders.

It is equally important thatwe close the 2000-06 programmes successfully, on time and without audit qualification.

I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:

The SBSA’s draft corporate plansets strategic objectives for the agency for the period 2007-10. These are:

Develop and promote a strategyfor achieving net zero carbon buildings.

Complete the next stage in thatstrategy by a significant cut in expected carbon emissions from new buildings.

Further the use of micro generationand low and zero carbon technologies.

Complete implementation of theEnergy Performance of Buildings Directive.

Introduce better standards toprevent noise nuisance.

Improve means of escape fromfire.

Increase compliance with buildingstandards.

Improve verification of buildingstandards.

Improve the dissemination ofinformation and service to stakeholders.

In line with our legal obligations,Diversity Strategy and Departmental Diversity Delivery Plan, the Scottish Executive,as an employer, is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce and thequality of employment monitoring data, including for those agencies included inthe Collective Employment Monitoring Scheme of our Race Equality Scheme.

The majority of this informationis held on the Executive’s central human resources database and not by the agenciesthemselves. We undertake regular staff re-surveys and monitoring exercises to ensurethe accuracy and completeness of data held. For information that is not held centrally,we encourage individual agencies to take similar steps and have issued advice andguidance to ensure that all relevant information is collected.

Information on the Executive’sCollectiveEmployment Monitoring Scheme is published on its website.

The collection of monitoringdata for those agencies not included in the Executive’s Race Equality Scheme isa matter for each individual agency. This includes the Scottish Prison Service, the Crown Office and ProcuratorFiscal Service, the Scottish Court Service, Registers of Scotland and CommunitiesScotland (prior to 2004)