- 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 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3702 by Henry McLeish on 27 January 2000, whether the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit will consider any concerns of businesses regarding the burden of regulation in all sectors including farming, crofting, fishing, quarrying, tourism and whisky and, if not, why not.
Answer
The IRIS unit will follow up representations from businesses in any sector on any regulatory concern.
- 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 Jack McConnell on 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3763 by Mr Jack McConnell on 28 January 2000, whether it will answer parts (a) and (b) of the original question and explain why it did not do so in the original answer.
Answer
My answer of 28 January explained that any economic consequences of revaluation will follow from the differential changes in sector and location of individual businesses and that revaluation is intended to achieve a neutral effect overall.
- 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 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the number of new businesses created for each year from 1999-2000 to 2008-09.
Answer
We have a set an overall target of creating 100,000 new businesses by 2009. Achievement of this target year by year will depend on the success of specific initiatives and on the general performance of the economy, which is currently very good.
- 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 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list further education (FE) colleges which are close to insolvency and detail any written recovery plans agreed, or awaiting agreement, between FE colleges and the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and outline any other measures planned to address the problems which colleges with large deficits face.
Answer
The report of the Audit Committee of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Further Education Colleges: Managing Costs, which was published on 9 February, identified 13 colleges with particular financial health problems.The report also summarises the status of the recovery plan for each of the 13 colleges. The components of these plans are specific to the circumstances of each college and reflect realistic options to address the college's future income and expenditure profiles in order to eliminate the deficit and restore financial health. The plans have to be agreed with the Scottish Further Education Funding Council but their implementation is the responsibility of the college Board of Management.Another measure, which will assist colleges with large deficits to address their problems, is a review of management within the Further Education sector. The Funding Council expects to report to Scottish Ministers by May with recommendations on what range and mix of management skills will best serve colleges, and how the best management practice can become the norm.
- 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 13 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-3702 and S1W-3706 by Henry McLeish on 27 January 2000, how the #12 million Business Growth Fund will be administered, whether copies of the application forms will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, whether Local Enterprise Companies (LECs) will have total responsibility for determining applications and whether not giving LECs total responsibility will result in unnecessary delay and bureaucracy in applications to the fund.
Answer
The Business Growth Fund is administered by Scottish Enterprise (SEn) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Copies of the application forms for the fund have been placed with SPICe although any applicant should be encouraged to discuss the fund with their local LEC in the first instance. The LEC will be able to provide scheme details, as well as general advice on applying. Final decisions are taken centrally by SEn and HIE, taking account of advice from the LEC dealing with each application. This ensures a consistent approach in delivering this national programme across the SEn and HIE areas.
- 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 Sam Galbraith on 10 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take immediate action to ensure the Scottish National Championship in ice-skating, due to take place on 11 and 12 march in Irvine, goes ahead and that participation in this competition by Scottish skaters will not affect their eligibility for the UK team, in light of the apparent refusal by the National Ice Skating Association to recognise the Scottish Ice Skating Association (SISA), and whether it will report to SISA on any such action taken.
Answer
I understand that the Scottish National Ice-Skating Championships will go ahead as planned. The National Ice Skating Association (NISA) has now retracted its eligibility statement and Scottish skaters will be able to participate without any threat of action from NISA.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 6 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1612 by Donald Dewar on 16 September 1999, whether it will now specify the revised total estimated annual costs of employment of Special Advisors broken down by individual and, including any termination and other payments which have been made to Mr Rafferty and Mr Chalmers.
Answer
There are currently eight Special Advisers employed within the Scottish Executive. The estimated annual cost of employing them (including overheads) is £527,207. Individual salaries are not revealed in order to protect the privacy of those concerned. Regarding severance payment, Mr Rafferty received the three month's salary due under the terms of his contract of employment; Mr Chalmers did not receive any such payment. A copy of the Model Contract of Employment for Special Advisers is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICE).
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the announcement of an #11 million boost for the tourist industry, as referred to in its press release dated 16 February 2000, constitutes an additional resource for the Scottish Tourist Board, and to provide details of the budget line from which these funds are drawn.
Answer
£5.25 million is going to the Scottish Tourist Board of which £2 million is for the Area Tourist Boards. These are unexpended funds carried forward from this financial year into the next financial year under the end year flexibility arrangements.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend its target for the annual growth rate for the value of tourism expenditure from 3.3% per annum to 4%, in line with the estimated growth rate in tourism in the global marketplace and, if so, whether it will amend its other targets in the New Strategy for Scottish Tourism accordingly.
Answer
Growth in tourism over the next five years is expected to be greatest in emerging markets, for example, in Asia. Tourism in Europe is forecast to grow by around 3.1% annually. Our target of 3.3% for Scotland is therefore not only tough but realistic.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include traditional Scottish music in the niche marketing of Scottish tourism and, if so, whether it will consult with Celtic Connections and other relevant bodies
Answer
The Scottish Tourist Board and relevant Area Tourist Boards promote traditional music both in print and on their websites.The STB, the Scottish Arts Council and the traditional music sector are working in partnership to raise the profile of traditional music events in Scottish tourism. As part of this initiative, pilot schemes have taken place throughout the country looking at ways of making traditional music more accessible to visitors.
