- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 29 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the current funding rules of the research councils allow a level playing field for scientists seeking public sector finance for research in Scottish agricultural and biological research institutes (SABRIs) and the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC).
Answer
The Research Councils are fundedby the Office of Science and Innovation which forms part of Department of Tradeand Industry. Funding of the Research Councils is a reserved matter. The ScottishExecutive has no responsibility for any of the Research Councils. Further informationon them can be found at
www.ost.gov.uk.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 29 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the previously published estimates of the costs of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route attributed to Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council took account of any VAT liability.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 29 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the previously published estimates of the costs of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route took account of any VAT liability.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 29 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has about the reasons for any liability for VAT on infrastructure facilities and whether liability differs according to whether a project is Executive-led or led by other public bodies or agencies, including local authorities.
Answer
VAT is payable on infrastructurefacilities, and the tax has to be paid by the client to the contractor. This isthe case whether the client is the Executive, a local authority or any other publicbody.
Some bodies, for example localauthorities or (most) commercial companies, are then able to reclaim this VAT. TheExecutive, in common with Whitehall departments, is not able to reclaim VAT on infrastructurecosts which it has incurred directly.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 29 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether liability for VAT on infrastructure facilities differs according to whether a project is funded through PFI or PPP rather than traditional financing.
Answer
The principles of VAT apply irrespectiveof the method of financing.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 29 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of its recent meeting with Aberdeen City Council regarding the allocation of costs to the council associated with the revised proposals for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and whether those discussions included consideration of the potential liability for VAT.
Answer
The meeting with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshirecouncils discussed proposals for the funding of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and the Expressway to Stonehaven. The proposed fundingarrangements are to be discussed at full meetings of both councils at the end ofJune. Liability for VAT was not discussed however separate discussions have beenheld between officials from Transport Scotland, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshirecouncils.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 28 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for longitudinal research programmes in environmental science and land use studies and how it will determine the funding of core activities of these programmes.
Answer
The Environment and RuralDevelopment Department’s (SEERAD) research strategy document
Strategic Researchfor SEERAD 2005-2010 sets out the research to be funded by SEERAD through thecommissioning of programmes of research. Work on environmental science and landuse studies is included within the programmes. Research undertaken by SEERAD’s non-departmentalpublic bodies, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Environment Protection Agencyand its agencies including Fisheries Research Service also include aspects of environmentalscience and land use studies.
A copy of the research strategydocument can be found at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/01/20526/49994.Research to meet SEERAD’s needsbeyond 2010 will be determined through on-going review processes involving a widerange of stakeholders through advisory mechanisms including SEERAD’s Strategic ScienceAdvisory Panel.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 28 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the funding criteria used by research councils will deliver longitudinal research programmes in environmental science and land use studies.
Answer
The Research Councils are fundedby the Office of Science and Innovation which forms part of Department of Tradeand Industry. Funding of the Research Councils is a reserved matter. The ScottishExecutive has no responsibility for any of the Research Councils. Further informationon them can be found at
www.ost.gov.uk.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 28 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for longitudinal research programmes in environmental science and land use studies.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26915 on 28 June 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 23 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that it would to have kept the Hannah Research Institute open for the next 3 years.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has nosuch estimates. The Scottish Executive’s decision to withdraw funding from the HannahResearch Institute as of 31 March 2006 took account of two very critical VisitingGroup reports of 1999 and 2003 and recognised that the research being undertakenat the Hannah was outside the Executive’s research priorities as specified in thedocument Strategic Research for SEERAD 2005-2010.
