A full and rigorous regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is being undertaken to assess the economic impact of legislative proposals set out in Scotland''s Future is Smoke-free, including proposals to further restrict the display of tobacco products. Retailing interests have had full opportunity to feed into the RIA and the Scottish Government will continue to engage with retailers to ensure that the impact on business is kept to a minimum. The RIA will be published alongside the forthcoming Health (Scotland) Bill. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/0/.

The proposed collaboration with HMRC/the UK Border Agency to tackle illicit sales of tobacco forms part of the comprehensive programme of measures contained in the Smoking Prevention Action Plan Scotland''s Future is Smoke-free which was launched in May 2008. As set out in the Action Plan, specific measures relating to illicit sales of tobacco will be included in the proposed scheme to secure more rigorous enforcement of tobacco sales law which is being developed in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland. Discussions which have taken place with HMRC/the UK Border Agency in this respect have been extremely constructive and details of the specific agreements reached will be announced shortly as part of the launch of the proposed Enhanced Tobacco Sales Enforcement Programme.

A full and rigorous regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is being conducted to assess the economic impact and the health benefits of legislative proposals set out in Scotland''s Future is Smoke-free, including the commitment to consider issues arising from the sale of cigarettes in packets of less than 20. The RIA will be published alongside the forthcoming Health (Scotland) Bill. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/0/.

The Scottish Government is committed to a vibrant small business sector and is doing a great deal to support the small business sector in Scotland through, for example, reduced business rates under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which will save millions for Scotland''s small businesses.

Whilst there can be no compromise on protecting children and young people from cancer, heart disease and other smoking-related illnesses, we have given tobacco retailers full opportunity to feed into a regulatory impact assessment on the proposed tobacco display ban and the Scottish Government will continue to engage with retailers to ensure that there is the minimum impact on business.

A full and rigorous regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is being conducted to assess the economic impact and health benefits of legislative proposals set out in Scotland''s Future is Smoke-free. This will be published alongside the forthcoming Health (Scotland) Bill. Evidence from countries that have implemented proposed measures has formed part of this assessment. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/0/.

No such provision or regulation exists. The industry''s own Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture contains recommendations on site fallowing across given areas which are designed to manage sea lice numbers and disease.

Ministers in Scotland and Northern Ireland met in November 2008 to discuss the way forward and agreed that further consideration should be given to proceeding with a joint Campbeltown to Ballycastle service tender.

Scottish Government officials, in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Executive, are currently in the process of preparing a joint paper, with detailed options for ministers to consider.

A decision is expected within the next month.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19617 on 26 January 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Government does not publish figures below those detailed in the budget documents you refer to. However, the increase in budget provision between 2008-09 and 2009-10 is necessary to maintain the level of service on lifeline ferry services in Scotland. This in line with the Scottish Government commitment to support lifeline ferry services to promote sustainable economic growth in our remote and island communities.

In addition, I refer you to the Cabinet Secretary''s response of 7 January 2009 to the conclusions and recommendations of the Finance Committee 7th report, 2008 (session 3) Stage 2 of the 2009-10 budget process.

The Control of Non-Native Species Option appears under Rural Priorities, one of the eight delivery mechanisms of the Scotland Rural Development Programme. In the first nine months of applications, four applications have been received that include the Control of Non-Native Species Option and all four of these have been approved. All those applications were within 2008. None of the applications or approvals originated from Argyll.