Chamber and committees

Upon being alerted to the situation by Michael Russell MSP I was very concerned to learn of events in respect of Stewart McNee Dunoon Ltd and the impact this would have on the employees concerned, their families and on the surrounding area. I oversaw the substantial work carried out by Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE), Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have myself spoken with KPMG (the liquidator) and I have been in close contact with lead officials over the last few weeks. I can confirm that the Scottish Government took immediate action to provide support for affected employees through our initiative for responding to redundancy situations. Four PACE redundancy support events were held locally which all employees were invited to attend. I understand that a new company has been formed which has employed 16 of the former employees and most of the other former employees have obtained alternative employment with only three of the 60 employees affected still seeking alternative positions. All apprentices who were affected have also been assisted to secure alternative employment.

Scotland’s Town Centre First Principle agreed with COSLA, together with the range of measures set out in the Town Centre Action Plan, set the conditions and underpin activity designed to tackle key issues such as empty shops, diversify town centre offer and thereby attract a range of businesses and services to locate there. We also deliver the most competitive business tax environment in the UK, with two in five properties in Scotland paying zero or reduced rates under the Scottish Government’s Small Business Bonus Scheme and relief also available under Fresh Start. Local authorities remain responsible for local economic development. They are best placed to respond to local circumstances, working with their communities to develop the right vision for their town centres, in partnership with the wider public, private and community sectors.

The advice from Scottish natural heritage (SNH) with regards to the protected features at each site was either to remove, avoid or reduce limit pressure from various fishing activities. SNH did not specify how the advice should be met. The measures proposed are designed to further the conservation objectives by minimising risk to the most sensitive habitats and species, and reducing risk to others. Where there are features with a recover conservation objective or they are the only example in the MPA network a more precautionary approach has been adopted.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-26571 on 20 August 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

All scallop dredge operations have a negative impact on the seabed to some extent. The estimated total impact on the annual revenue of the 103 boats potentially affected by the measures is approximately £300,000. This equates to 1.6% of the estimated annual gross revenue of around £18.6 million. However some boats may be disproportionally affected. Where this is the case support is available for vessel diversification through the European maritime and fisheries fund. Marine Scotland will provide advice on this as requested. Since 11 June 2015 there have been two meetings with the Scottish fishermen’s federation to discuss the proposals on 17 June and 6 July.

The closure of broad bay was not to manage scallop fishing or protect scallop habitats. Broad bay was an important spawning and nursery ground for flatfish species, in particular the European plaice (pleuronectes platessa). The prohibition of mobile gear was implemented in an attempt to protect these grounds and increase plaice abundance. Marine Scotland have not carried out a dedicated survey to study scallop or fish population abundances and distribution within the bay. Following requests from stakeholders, six tows with broad bay were added onto the 2007 west coast scallop dredge survey. The results of these isolated observations indicated low scallop abundance. However assumptions regarding the population dynamics of scallops, or any other fish species, in broad bay cannot be drawn from these results.

The Scottish Government provided estimates of economic impact in a set of business and regulatory impact assessments (BRIAs) and an updated set were published on 11 June 2015, taking account of the proposed management measures in the draft marine conservation orders. These follow established best-practice, drawing from the report ‘Planning Scotland’s Seas: The Scottish Marine Protected Area Project – Developing the Evidence Base for Impact Assessments and the Sustainability Appraisal: Final Report’. The overall methodology was informed by the input from a project advisory group which included national representatives of potentially affected marine industries and other national and strategic stakeholders. The Scottish Government has requested representations on the draft marine conservation orders, including on the estimates of economic impact, by 9 August 2015.

The proposals are consistent with the national marine plan. The marine protected areas with the most significant mobile fishing gear activity all have a zonal management arrangement proposed to minimise disruption as far as possible. There has been considerable discussion about how these areas are used with the fishing industry over the last 2 years in particular.

Since April 2013 Marine Scotland has offered a range of opportunities for engagement at events to fishermen, Industry representatives, and any other stakeholders at locations throughout Scotland. This included 14 drop-in events at key locations during the 2014 consultation on these management measures to allow stakeholders to share their views with marine Scotland and Scottish natural heritage representatives.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-26569 on 20 August 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at; http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.