Chamber and committees

David MacBrayne Ltd, the parent company of Northlink Ferries Ltd and CalMac Ferries Ltd, manage fuel procurement centrally. Total consumption is around 75m litres per year.

The CalMac vessels operate the contracted passenger, car and freight services for the Hebrides and Clyde.

The contracted timetable requires the vessels to operate at a range of differing speeds and varying weather conditions which can all impact on the fuel consumption.

The calculated average fuel consumption per hour is set out below. Because of the number of factors determining these calculations, they should be treated as approximations.

Average Fuel Consumption per hour (litres)

NorthLink Ferries Ltd.

Hjaltland and Hrossey.

The timetable prescribed by Northlink''s contract with the Scottish Government requires the vessels to operate at a range of differing speeds and the vessels were therefore designed for this with four main engines and a number of other features which can be used in combination to optimize the fuel used for the different operating speeds.

The main engine rate of fuel consumption varies from 900 litres to 1,100 litres per hour depending on loading and therefore the vessels have a fuel consumption rate that varies between 900 litres and 4,000 litres per hour depending on speed, loading, the combination of engines in use, and whether shaft alternators are being used.

Hamnavoe.

The vessel was designed to meet the Scottish Government''s service specification in terms of classification, carrying capacity and journey time on the defined route. The vessel main engines consume about 1,500 litres per hour

Hildasay and Clare

Both vessels are Time Chartered freight vessels.

Hildasay consumes about 840 litres per hour and Clare consumes about 700 litres per hour.

Average fuel usage will depend on the speed the vessel needs to operate at to meet the requirements of the timetable.

As well as increasing the supply of housing, the new Housing Bill, introduced to Parliament in January 2010, aims to safeguard existing social housing for future generations by reforming the right to buy. This will prevent new affordable housing being lost to the affordable market.

The Highland Council has already made use of existing pressured area designation provisions to safeguard a portion of its existing stock from RTB sales and may apply to ministers to extend that designation beyond the original five year period. The Housing Bill also contains provisions to introduce more flexibility and local control over the designation of pressured areas.

In addition to its direct funding role the Scottish Government continues to engage closely with the four local authorities, that cover the Highlands and Islands, in their strategic role of identifying local housing needs and setting local housing priorities.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/investment/ahip.

The Scottish Government has not received any compelling arguments for extending or further restricting the hours set out in the act and has no plans to exercise the power in section 65(4).

A national multidisciplinary team (MDT) way of working has also been established. The national MDT meet weekly to discuss and manage the care and treatment of all patients in Scotland with a bone or soft tissue sarcoma.

In 2008, Mr Willie Haughey of City Refrigeration Holdings, arranged with the Scottish Football Association (SFA), to sponsor the Scottish Cup for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 football seasons. Mr Haughey donated the activation rights for these two years to the Scottish Government.

In 2008-09, the Scottish Cup was used as a platform to promote Homecoming and health initiatives to Scots. In 2009-10, the Cup has been branded the Active Nation Scottish Cup as part of the Active Nation campaign, which encourages people of all ages and abilities to be more active.

The Cup was taken on tour in partnership with the Scottish FA, where 6,000 school pupils took part in coaching sessions and over 20,000 healthy eating advice booklets were distributed.

The media evaluation following the Homecoming Scottish Cup 2008-09 delivered brand exposure for Homecoming worth £3.26 million across television, radio, online and press. Television alone delivered nine hours of brand exposure for Homecoming.

Activation costs associated with the Homecoming Scottish Cup in 2008-09 were £517,287 including VAT.

Active Nation Scottish Cup costs will be made available following the conclusion of the Cup campaign in May 2010. To date, expenditure is £330,364 including VAT. Please note that expenditure is not yet reconciled beyond 31 March 2009 and figures may be subject to change. Expenditure in both 2008-09 and 2009-10 includes some mandatory site branding required by contract by the Scottish FA.