- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 13 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct the Macaulay Land Use Institute to conduct a thorough investigation into the social, economic and environmental significance of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill for remote communities and specifically for Stratherrick and Lochaber.
Answer
No. The lead Committee considering the details of the proposed Bill can commission any further research it feels is necessary.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 13 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss with the Scottish Tourist Board its appointment of a Parliamentary Liaison Officer and whether the salary costs of the post would be better spent on marketing activities.
Answer
No. This is an operational matter for the Scottish Tourist Board.
- 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 13 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when the financial accounts for Inverness College for the year ended March 1999 were due to have been published, and when they will be published.
Answer
The financial accounts of Inverness College for the year ended March 1999 should have been lodged with Companies House by 31 January 2000. I understand that the accounts are still the subject of discussion between the College and its auditors.
- 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 13 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what sale price was achieved for Dalneigh Halls of Residence at Inverness College and whether a professional valuation of the estimated sale price of this heritable property was obtained and, if so, whether it will place a copy of the survey in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
Dalneigh Halls of Residence were disposed of by Inverness College in 1998 on the open market, for £275,000. The college had first obtained a professional valuation of the property. The Scottish Executive does not have a copy of the valuation report.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 12 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward an amending order to the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Cross-Border Public Authorities) (Adaptation of Functions etc) Order 2000 providing that any person whose appointment as a member of the National Heritage Memorial Fund is on the ground of a connection with Scotland must demonstrate either a residence connection with Scotland or special knowledge of Scotland and that such a member of the National Heritage Memorial Fund may not be appointed without the consent of the Parliament, and only following consultation with the Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Executive and the United Kingdom Government have no plans to bring forward any such amending order.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 6 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a rebate or relief scheme this year for those on low incomes who are liable for water charges.
Answer
The arrangements linking water and sewerage charges to council tax bands already provide substantial assistance to many less well-off households. The Executive is considering whether it is possible to improve on the protection provided by these arrangements. Any new measures would be introduced in 2001-02.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 6 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the case for European transitional funding to be used to upgrade the Drynie Hill section of the A861 from Kinlochmoidart to Carnoch and whether it will make a statement explaining its position.
Answer
The improvement of this section of the A861 is entirely a matter for Highland Council as the local roads authority. As regards the use of European transitional funding, the special programme for the Highlands and Islands is currently being considered by the European Commission. Whilst support for infrastructure is envisaged, projects will require to demonstrate that they relieve significant constraints to economic development and that they feature amongst priorities established by the Highlands & Islands Partnership Programme.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 6 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has the powers to allow Initiative At the Edge funding to be used to effect the improvements and upgrading required to the Drynie Hill Section of the A861 from Kinlochmoidart to Carnoch.
Answer
The maintenance and improvement of local roads such as the Drynie Hill section of the A861 from Kinlochmoidart to Carnoch is the responsibility of Highland Council as the local roads authority. The Council is a key partner in the Initiative at the Edge and there is a general expectation on all the partners that they will attach additional priority to areas which are covered by the Initiative. Final decisions on the allocation of funding however remain a matter for individual partners.
- 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 Rhona Brankin on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate was contained in the Puma Edinburgh Marathon Race Director's Report of the "growth potential", showing this for each of the years 1999 to 2002 and setting out the number of entrants estimated as participating in each year, the expenditure generated by the runners and their supporters, and the impact in terms of full-time equivalent jobs in each year.
Answer
While the economic evaluation of the 1999 event does demonstrate potential for growth, this is dependent on significant increases in the number of competitors and supporters. At the time the decision not to hold the event in 2000 was taken, there had been fewer than half the number of applications as at the equivalent date last year.
The detailed growth potential, as outlined in the economic impact assessment of the 1999 event, is illustrated in the table below, but again it must be stressed that achieving the designated target of runners is the main determinant in realising these figures.
Year | Number of Runners | Gross Expenditure | Net Expenditure | Full-Time Equivalent Jobs |
1999 | 3,725 | £587,290 | £553,023 | 16 |
2000 | 10,000 | £1,573,937 | £1,482,101 | 42.3 |
2001 | 15,000 | £2,365,017 | £2,227,022 | 63.6 |
2002 | 20,000 | £3,135,747 | £3,004,523 | 86 |
