- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it estimates will not be created or protected as a result of the loss of power to extend aid beyond the de minimis amount, because the assisted area status map has not been agreed between the Department of Trade and Industry and the European Commission, and whether any applications have not proceeded or have been withdrawn as a result of the restriction on the amount of aid by operation of the de minimis rule, in consequence of the assisted area status map not being agreed.
Answer
The main form of aid provided by the Scottish Executive, to create and safeguard jobs, is Regional Selective Assistance (RSA). The ending of the 1993-99 Assisted Areas map was well publicised and we received a large number of RSA applications prior to the end of 1999. We are not aware of any RSA applications not proceeding or being withdrawn, in consequence of the assisted area status map not being agreed.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from business organisations to reassess the calculation of the non-domestic rate poundage for 2000-01 and to ensure the continuation of the uniform business rate throughout the United Kingdom; whether it will give details of such representations; whether any organisations support abandoning the uniform business rate and, if so, to provide details; whether Scotland will have a 10.1% higher non-domestic rate poundage level than in England in 2000-01, and whether it has any plans to reassess this level.
Answer
I received representations from and/or held meetings on the forthcoming revaluation of non-domestic rates, including the issue of the rate poundage, with the Forum of Private Business, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Scottish Council Development and Industry, CBI Scotland, the Scottish Tourism Forum, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Scotland, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Scottish Valuation and Rating Council, the Chemical Industries Association, Scottish Financial Enterprise and the Scottish Retail Consortium.
I confirmed the Uniform Scottish Rate Poundage for 2000-01 on 1 March at 45.8p. The poundage in England is to be 41.6p. I explained the effect of this in my previous answer of 28 January (S1W-3768, Written Answers Report Vol 4, No 5). There are no plans to reassess the figure.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to abolish the office of the Water Industry Commissioner and instead reform the Scottish Water and Sewerage Customers Council as a consumer watchdog.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many public meetings the Water Industry Commissioner has held since his appointment and how many he intends to hold.
Answer
The Commissioner has held one public meeting, plus a number of meetings with a range of customer organisations, since his appointment on 1 November.
Once the three Water Industry Consultative Committees are appointed, the Commissioner will hold at least four public meetings with each committee each year. He is also establishing customer panels to provide him with regular input from all groups of customers.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the its approval of the increase in salary for the Chief Executive of North of Scotland Water Authority to circa #120,000 and 10% bonus and, if not, why not.
Answer
The exact remuneration packages for the Chief Executives will be a matter for negotiation between the Board of each authority and the successful candidates. The final packages agreed will be subject to Ministerial approval; I have indicated to the authorities what may be considered as an upper limit for their negotiations.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit will conduct an audit of each sector of industry as to existing regulations and issue proposals for simplifying, reducing or removing such regulations and, if not, why not.
Answer
A series of seminars is being arranged to enable businesses to present their concerns about the burden of regulation. In the light of feedback from these seminars and issues raised directly with the IRIS unit, the Scottish Executive will consider what further action is appropriate including whether existing legislation and regulations need to be reviewed to create a more positive attitude to risk-taking and entrepreneurship.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that any matters relating to the finances and past management of Inverness College require to be referred to Audit Scotland, and whether it will consult with representatives of the workforce at the college in making such a decision.
Answer
No. The current management of Inverness College is in discussion with the Scottish Further Education Funding Council regarding the preparation of a recovery plan to address the College's financial position.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the total cost of funding of the learning resource centre at Inverness College was #4,806,000 and, if it was not, what was the actual cost, and whether it will (a) provide a breakdown of the cost between the services diversion, departmental relocation, learning resource centre, front-of-house professional fees and value added tax, and (b) provide a breakdown of how the total costs were funded between the following contributory bodies, (i) the Millennium Commission, (ii) European Regional Development Fund, (iii) Inverness and Nairn Enterprise, (iv) Highland Council (v) Inverness College, showing in each case the actual amount contributed by each of the funding bodies.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an independent inquiry will be conducted into the financial accounts of Inverness College to investigate (a) the reasons for the accumulated deficit and (b) all capital projects including building works and alteration works, and in particular, (i) why the total cost of "department relocations" for the learning resource centre amounted to #823,000, (ii) where the accounts show any entry in respect of revenue accruing as a result of the sale, to the contractors, of the design of the proposed learning resource centre, (iii) whether the works in the training workshop were commenced and completed prior to obtaining the required Building Warrant under the Building (Scotland) Act 1959 as amended and (iv) whether the cost of construction of the learning resource centre per square meter was in line with the national average costs expected for such work.
Answer
No. The Scottish Further Education Funding Council is assisting Inverness College to review its current activities, income and expenditure, on the basis of which the College is preparing a plan to recover its financial situation and to eliminate the accumulated deficit.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of the consultancy report by Ben Johnston Hill of Nottingham regarding the financial position of Inverness College.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
