Chamber and committees

The 16 Scottish local authorities that have alternating weekly collections of household residual waste and recyclate are listed in the table below. Start dates have been included where this information is available.

Local Authority	Alternating Weekly Collections	Start Date
Aberdeenshire	Yes	May 2004
Angus	Yes	May 2004
Argyll and Bute	Yes	No record
Clackmannanshire	Yes	March 2004
East Ayrshire	Yes	March 2004
Falkirk	Yes	February 2004
Fife	Yes	April 2005
Inverclyde	Yes	March 2005
Midlothian	Yes	April 2005
Moray	Yes	August 2004
Renfrewshire	Yes	No record
South Ayrshire	Yes	March 2004
South Lanarkshire	Yes	October 2003
Stirling	Yes	November 2003
West Lothian	Yes	June 2003
Western Isles	Yes	No record

 

This information has been provided by the Scottish Waste Awareness Group and Remade Scotland, both of which are funded by Scottish Government. Neither the Scottish Government nor Waste and Resources Action Programme collect such information directly.

We are aware other operatorsare progressing the development of free wi-fi services. For example Stagecoach EastScotland are planning to fit wi-fi on their Express bus services and Arriva on someof their rail routes.

The Glasgow to Edinburgh collaborationproject recently commissioned research on seamless wireless connectivity on themain Glasgow to Edinburgh rail route. This research estimated the potential economicbenefits from both the introduction of wi-fi and improved mobile phone reception.

The Scottish Government willprovide substantial funds to the bus industry of around £250 million each year.Each increase in fuel duty and its effect on the rate of Bus Service Operators Granthas to be looked at on an individual basis. Unfortunately, given the constraintsof the current spending round, it has not been possible to increase Bus ServiceOperators Grant on this occasion.

The Scottish Government is committedto promoting microgeneration, recognising its potential to provide a sustainablesource of low carbon energy and to reduce carbon emissions. It will be part of acoherent approach to energy policy, recognising that promoting reduced energy consumptionand promoting low carbon technologies are key to achieving sustainable economicgrowth.

In our budget for Scotland we havemade the commitment to triple funding to support community and microgeneration,which will include support for householders. I will announce our plans soon.

Each increase in fuel duty andits effect on the rate of Bus Service Operators Grant paid has to be looked at onan individual basis. If, as expected, fuel duty is increased in April 2008 thenwe will assess the situation at the time and make a decision based upon the ScottishGovernment’s strategic objectives and the funding available.

The Scottish Community and HouseholderRenewables Initiative (SCHRI) offers grants for the installation of renewable energymeasures. Householders can obtain funding of 30% of the installed cost, up to amaximum of £4,000.

In March 2006 the InformationCommissioner found that Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd had correctly applied the exemptionin Section 33(1) (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, that relatedto commercially sensitive data in a case where their competitors had sought therelease of commercially sensitive data.

It is considered that the informationrelated to individual vessel leasing charges is commercially sensitive. On thatbasis, it is considered that the information should not be released in terms ofsection 33(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 where release of the information is likely to prejudice substantially the commercial interests ofboth CalMac Ferries Ltd and Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

It is Scottish Government policy that goods and services are procured through competition that demonstrate fairness, openness and transparency at all stages of the process. Decisions are based on value for money, without discrimination on the basis of nationality or locality. All Saltires used by the Scottish Government for promotional purposes are sourced through RR Donnelley (Astron), who were appointed in October 2004, for a three-year contract, after a comprehensive procurement process in line with Government Procurement Policy and the EU Procurement Directives. This contract was awarded with an option of two further one-year extensions and currently operates on a one-year extension. Flags sourced through this supplier are from a variety of manufacturers and include sources in Scotland, other UK countries and overseas. The flags sent out to pre schools and universities and colleges were from existing stock.

Under the termsof the agreements between CalMac Ferries Ltd and Caledonian Maritime AssetsLtd, for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract, CalMac Ferries Ltd currently payCaledonian Maritime Assets Ltd £10.3 million per annum in vessel leasingcharges. These amounts relate to the first year of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract from 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008. It isconsidered that the individual vessel leasing charges are commerciallysensitive and should not be released.