Chamber and committees

I have asked Dr PaulStollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer.His response is as follows:

The agency are currentlyworking to the 2007 SNP manifesto commitments “It’s time to move forward”. The aimsare consistent with those in the publication entitled It’s Time for a Greener Scotland.Research work is underway to benchmark the energy standards in Scottish buildingregulations with those in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, which are currently acknowledged to be the best in Europe. Astrategy, with input from an expert panel, for low carbon buildings and energyefficiency will be published later in the year.

In 2005-06 there were157,480 Scottish domiciled students at Scottish higher education institutions. Inaddition, in the same year, there were 13,955 Scottish domiciled students studyingat the Open University.

I have not set anytargets as a policy to increase this number.

Details of the deliveryof our current committed programme of major and important trunk road and rail infrastructureimprovements can be found on the Transport Scotland website at www.transportscotland.gov.uk. Futuretransport investment priorities will be considered by the multi-modal StrategicTransport Projects Review (STPR) which is undertaking an objective, evidence-based,review of the existing performance and future requirements of the nationally strategictransport networks. This willinclude better utilisation of the rail and road networks.

In addition, the HighLevel Output Specification (HLOS) for 2009-14 sets out future requirements for moreefficient working of the rail network. With growing demand for rail travel, it isanticipated that there will be a continuing requirement for improvements to railservices, including increased capacity and performance. A range of priority areasare identified within the HLOS and efficiency savings will be used to support theirdelivery.

Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, andcan be contacted if required.

We are promotingactive travel through school travel co-ordinators, school and workplace travelplans and through funding local authorities, Cycling Scotland and Sustrans forinfrastructure, services and cycling training.

We will publish a 10-year plan to transform Scottishroad safety and have already announced the setting up of an expert group onroad safety to advise on what more could be done and provide options to providegreater protection for, particularly young, drivers.

Future transportinvestment priorities will be considered by the multi-modal strategic transportprojects review which is undertaking an objective, evidence based, review of the existing performance and future requirements of the nationally strategictransport networks. This willinclude consideration for improvements to make journeys greener, safer andeasier for Scottish commuters.

The Scottish Government believes that Scotland''s economic success must be a partnership between the private, public and third sectors, with the private sector the principal driver of growth. The debate about the size of the public sector in Scotland to date has been influenced by figures which exclude a proportion of Scottish economic activity relating to the Scottish sector of the UK Continental Shelf and the government believes that this issue must be seen within the context of an actual public sector size that is estimated to be comparable to the UK average when the whole of the Scottish economy is included.

The government is taking action to ensure that the public sector delivers more effectively with resources directed more towards frontline services in health, education and community safety, all of which contribute to Scotland''s potential for greater economic success and we are also taking forward measures to improve the competitive environment for Scottish business through lower business taxes, lighter and more effective regulation and a greater focus for national enterprise activity.

The government believes that this balanced approach will ensure that the public sector compliments the private and third sectors and that public spending does more to help generate private sector growth. Within this context our action to simplify and de-clutter the public sector landscape will play an important role in raising Scotland''s overall economic growth rate.

Details of the deliveryof our current committed programme of major and important trunk road and rail infrastructureimprovements can be found on the Transport Scotland website at www.transportscotland.gov.uk. Futuretransport investment priorities will be considered by the multi-modal StrategicTransport Projects Review (STPR) which is undertaking an objective, evidence-based,review of the existing performance and future requirements of the nationally strategictransport networks.

Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, andcan be contacted if required.

Cowal Ferries Ltd,a subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd, operates the  Gourock-Dunoon ferry serviceon behalf of the Scottish Government. Subsidy is provided by the Scottish Governmentto Cowal Ferries Ltd, rather than to individual passengers, to cover the provisionof the passenger element of that service. No distinction is drawn between differentclasses of passengers.

Early in itslifetime, the new administration concluded that the quickest and most effectiveway of putting in place the contract for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services that European law requiredwas to complete the tendering process which, by that stage, was at an advancedstage.

CaledonianMaritime Assets Ltd have been charged with developing the port infrastructureit owns in an efficient, economic and effective manner.

Further to the restructuringof the former Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd that took effect from 1 October 2006 as partof the preparations for the tendering of Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, I canconfirm that David MacBrayne Ltd has established a new subsidiary with separatebanking arrangements, Cowal Ferries Ltd, whose sole function is the operation of the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service. That subsidiary has been trading since 1 April 2007 and all subsidy requirements for the passenger only elementof that route are payable directly to that company, separate from the subsidy thatis payable to CalMac Ferries Ltd under present arrangements. Cowal Ferries Ltd willpublish its Annual Accounts from 2007-08.

Financial resultsfor the Gourock to Dunoon service will also be reflected in the David MacBrayneLtd annual accounts and carrying figures will continue to appear in Scottish Transport Statistics, as publishedannual by the Scottish Executive.