- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to provide support for the community hospital network in the Grampian area and whether it will ensure that there will be no cutback in community hospital provision in rural areas.
Answer
The Executive is providing substantial resources to NHS Grampian as part of the record investment we are making in NHSScotland. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20849 for the details. The formula under which funding is allocated to NHS Boards takes full account of the extent to which the populations they serve are based in rural areas. It is for each board to determine how funding should be used to provide health services which best reflect local needs and priorities.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 10 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any guidelines or directions it has issued to VisitScotland on how it should use its marketing budget.
Answer
Ministers have not issued any such guidelines or directions. This is an operational matter for the VisitScotland Board.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 3 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents resulting in deaths have occurred on trunk roads in the Grampian police area (a) in the current year to date and (b) in each of the last three years.
Answer
The number of road accidents resulting in deaths that have occurred on trunk roads in the Grampian Police area in the current year and in each of the last three years is as follows: -
Year | No of Fatal Accidents |
1998 | 13 |
1999 | 3 |
2000 | 12 |
2001(Jan - Oct) | 8 |
Total | 36 |
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 27 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make arrangements for payments to farmers in Aberdeenshire under the Integrated Administration and Control System to be made as a matter of urgency.
Answer
The department gives priority to the payment of subsidies. Figures for specific areas are not readily available. But for Scotland as a whole, payments under the Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS) started on 16 November 2001, the first possible date under the EU legislation. By Christmas some 80% of AAPS claimants have had over £94 million paid into their bank accounts. The department is confident that it will meet its EU obligations to pay more than 96% of AAPS payments by the end of January 2002.In addition, more than £78 million has been paid out under the various livestock schemes since the beginning of November 2001. This covers almost all of the claims eligible for payment.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 25 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the tourism industry since the appointment of the new First Minister and what consultation it intends to undertake with the industry.
Answer
I have met will the Chairman and Chief Executive of VisitScotland and intend to meet with industry organisations, including the Scottish Tourism Forum, as soon as possible. VisitScotland is currently consulting the industry about the review of the national tourism strategy.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 25 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to re-appraise the Arbuthnott Index relating to mortality rates among people under 65 as one of the key indicators for the provision of health board funding under the Arbuthnott formula.
Answer
The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to re-appraise any of the key indicators of the Arbuthnott Index. The mortality rate among people under 65 has long been recognised as a good indicator of the relative health of the population living in different areas of Scotland.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 25 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to redress the drops in visitor numbers to Scotland as identified by National Statistics in its press release of 10 December 2001.
Answer
The drop in overseas tourism visitors for October is disappointing, but in line with expectations. Both VisitScotland and the British Tourist Authority are currently working on a number of new campaigns to encourage tourists to come to Scotland. These will be launched early in 2002. VisitScotland's marketing budget is at a record level.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 25 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that its current proposals for land reform improve the conservation of wildlife and the rearing of managed game, including fish, as core components of rural tourism.
Answer
The Land (Scotland) Reform Bill will not impede the rearing of managed game, including fish.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 25 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it gave approval to, or had advance knowledge of, the decision by VisitScotland to issue shopping vouchers as a tourism promotion tool.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20742 on 20 December 2001.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 25 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the VisitScotland shopping voucher pilot scheme would breach any EU competition rules as a form of market assistance were it made available in other countries and whether there are any plans for a petrol voucher scheme to encourage European visitors to travel north of the central belt.
Answer
VisitScotland's "Shop till you Drop" campaign does not breach any EU competition rules. There are no plans to introduce a petrol voucher scheme.
