- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 23 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has provided any “absolute assurances” to the Scottish Crofting Foundation in relation to the Crofting Reform etc. Bill as reported in the West Highland Free Press on 2 June 2006 and, if so, whether any such assurances were in writing, whether the Executive will publish a copy of the assurances and place it in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and why the assurances were not made available to the public when they were written; whether the Executive will publish draft amendments to the Bill which will implement such assurances, and whether it considers that it should make public all material which constitutes assurances about amendments which it intends to introduce at Stage 2 of a Bill.
Answer
Ministers and the Scottish Executiveare not in a position to give any assurances about any bill which is under considerationby Parliament. A meeting was held with the Scottish Crofting Foundation to discussthe Bill and a copy of a memo outlining the conclusions of that meeting was sentto the SCF. This memo has already been the subject of a request for informationunder the Freedom of Information Act and was released. It will be published in boththe Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39898) and the Executive’swebsite, in line with the Executive’s publication scheme. Although it is not usualpractice to publish possible amendments to a bill under consideration by Parliament,where we have indicated to the Environment and Rural Development Committee thatwe intend to amend the bill we have published those amendments.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 19 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reviewed the operation of the concessionary travel scheme and, in particular, whether it will extend the scheme so that people who must visit family in the islands of Scotland, but who are resident on the mainland, and who are involved in helping to provide care for their family living in the islands, can be entitled to free travel.
Answer
The introduction on 1 April 2006 of theScotland-wide Free Bus Scheme for Older and Disabled People meets the PartnershipAgreement commitment to a national free off-peak bus scheme for older people andpeople with disabilities. In addition, two free return ferry journeys annually arebeing offered to all eligible islands residents. Although we are closely monitoringthe operation of the scheme, we do not have plans to extend the ferry concessionelement.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 16 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any instances where two separate discount cards for the discount air fares scheme have been issued to individuals and, if so, how this situation could have arisen.
Answer
The Scottish Executive isaware that, in a limited number of cases, two separate discount cards have beensent to the same individual. This can happen when individual applicants havesubmitted more than one application form and when the information contained onthe form differs. For example first and middle names can be transposed; only supplyinginitials in one case; incorrect or transposed date of birth and the use ofshortened or alternative versions of first or middle names. The Executive isworking hard to prevent this wherever possible.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister will visit Mallaig to explain what the impact may be on Mallaig, on the surrounding area and businesses involved in fishing of being part of a coastal marine national park.
Answer
Details of ministers’ forwarddiary commitments could be subject to change and are not normally released.
We will be seeking views on theimpact of a Coastal and Marine National Park on the surrounding area and businesses in the ScottishExecutive consultation which will take place during the summer.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister has plans to visit Mallaig and, if so, on what date.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26171 on 6 June 2006. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there would be zoning of the seas within the area of a coastal and marine national park; if so, what the effect of such zoning would be; whether it has received advice from Scottish Natural Heritage on zoning and, if so, whether it will publish in full, without redaction, copies of all such advice.
Answer
It is too soon to take aview on whether or not zoning should be pursued within Scotland’sfirst Coastal and Marine National Park. No decisions have yet been takenon the role and functions of the Park authority that would be established orthe location of the park. The Scottish Executive will be consulting on theseand other issues in the summer.The advice received from SNHis available on their website
http://www.snh.org.uk/strategy/CMNP/sr-adnp01.aspand we are considering that at present.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the advice it has received from Scottish Natural Heritage on the impact which any coastal and marine national park may have on the fishing industry recognises that the park plan would take precedence in the event of any conflict with local fisheries management.
Answer
Section 3 of SNH’s reportoutlined its advice on powers and structures of a Coastal and Marine NationalPark and supported the view that inshore fisheries groups should continue to bethe main vehicle for the planning and management of fisheries within the park area.I have made clear that I want to see a park authority working with inshorefisheries management groups.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the annual cost of running a coastal and marine national park for the first three years of operation.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage’s(SNH) advice stated that it is difficult to quantify the likely running costs ofa Coastal and Marine National Park as this will depend on the area chosen, the specificpowers and functions of the park authority and its governance arrangements. I havemade clear that no decisions have been taken on the area or in relation to powersand functions of the park authority. Views on these issues will be sought in theExecutive’s consultation during the summer.
Section 3 of SNH’s advice coveringrunning costs can be viewed at:
http://www.snh.org.uk/strategy/CMNP/sr-adnp01.asp.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would establish a coastal and marine national park in circumstances where the majority of the people in a referendum, who are qualified to vote by being on the electoral register on the areas within the boundaries of the proposed park, rejected the proposal.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26163 on 5 June 2006. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any advice from Scottish Natural Heritage in relation to the meeting which took place, and the content of the discussions at the meeting, on 4 May 2006 at the Astley Hall, Arisaig and whether it will place copies of all such advice and documents in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
The Scottish Executive receivedby email a report from SNH on the local meeting that was held at Arisaig on 4 May 2006 on Coastaland Marine National Parks. The documents have been placed in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 39771).
