Chamber and committees

Omne communications ltd, currently, have no plans to build an office in Dumfries and Galloway. Rollout of broadband services to Dumfries and Galloway is planned for early 2003.

The current Scottish passenger rail franchise expires at the end of March 2004. The Scottish Executive expects to issue its Directions and Guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority in the course of summer 2002.

The SPCB agreed at its meeting on 19 June 2001 that IT cabling should be installed to the MSP desks in the debating chamber during fabrication, along with the voting and microphone cabling, to allow for any future connecting of IT equipment. There will be no computer facilities at the desk, although future parliaments will thus be enabled to decide otherwise. Audio and Voting consoles will be provided on MSP desks in the debating chamber from the outset.

The publicity and consultation requirements which local authorities are required to follow in connection with school closure proposals are set out in the Education (Publication and Consultation Etc)(Scotland) Regulations 1981. We have no current plans to amend the regulations. This was recently discussed at the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.

Universal access will have been achieved, when there is affordable and pervasive access to the web throughout Scotland - whether at home, in work, or through public internet access facilities. Our aim is to ensure that public access to the web is generally available, within five miles in rural areas and within one mile in urban areas.

I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to reply. His response is as follows: We fully appreciate the significance of Thomas Telford. Most of his surviving works have been given statutory protection, either as scheduled ancient monuments or listed buildings. We have provided major funding for the repair of the Caledonian Canal, and more general support for publications on architectural history which feature his works.

The Executive has not, to date, carried out any assessment of the impact of depopulation on the aforementioned areas. However, analysts within the Executive are planning to consider migration and demographic change in Scotland, and how it will impact upon the Scottish economy. The Framework for Economic Development in Scotland, published in June 2000, recognises that regional and social development are important both for the attainment of the equity objectives of the Executive, and for the enhancement of overall economic growth. The framework notes (on page 65) that one of the Executive's objectives is "to maintain and foster the wide range of communities throughout Scotland".

The Scottish Executive has not acquired any property for the M74 northern extension. For the section of the M74/A74(M) between Douglas and the border, missives are being concluded for one property, following an open market sale and two others are subject to negotiation with previous owners. Further disposals are expected soon.

Omne Communications Ltd do not have any current plans to open an office in Dumfries and Galloway. However, when the construction of the network commences in this area, Omne expect indirect jobs will be created for construction and installation teams.

Omne Communications Ltd have stated that planned build for Dumfries and Galloway is scheduled for early 2003.