Chamber and committees

The main recommendationof the 2005 report was that more extensive research should be undertaken to developand implement a methodology for the assessment of landslide hazards, the exposureto road users and the resulting hazard rankings. This work is detailed, highly complex and time consuming.However, it is progressing well and will allow us to predict in the future wherelandslips are most likely to occur, prioritising areas for further site specificinvestigation and strategies to minimise the impact of future landslips.

Other recommendationsidentified as Early Opportunities in the 2005 report have since been implementedand evidence of actions taken can be observed on the network.

The possibility ofproviding funding from the national reserve component of the single farmpayment scheme to the deer farming sector is currently being considered in the contextof the consultation on Reform of the EU Fruit and Vegetable Regime and Deer Farming:Proposed Changes to the Single Farm Payment Scheme.

Council Regulation1182/2007 Laying down specificrules as regards the fruit and vegetable sector, amending Directives 2001/112/ECand 2001/113/EC and Regulations (EEC) No 827/68, (EC) No 2200/96, (EC) No 2201/96,(EC) No 2826/2000, (EC) No 1782/2003 and (EC) No 318/2006 and repealing Regulation(EC) No 2202/96, containsspecific measures to allow the integration of the fruit and vegetable sector intothe single farm payment scheme. These new measures include the option of top slicingexisting payments if there is insufficient funding to cover the value of new fruitand vegetable entitlements.

EC Regulation 1182/2007does not include any provisions which would allow the integration of other previouslyunsupported sectors, including deer farming, into the single farm paymentscheme. For this reason, the only way in which new payments to deer farmers mightbe funded is through the restructuring option of the national reserve provision,under Article 42(5) of EC Regulation 1782/2003, however, this Regulation specificallyexcludes the option of applying a further linear cut in existing payment entitlementvalues in order to fund new claims made under Article 42(5).

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-5296 on 5 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Scottish Governmentofficials have discussed the project with Northern Ireland officials on a number of occasions and they continueto liaise closely to discuss joint working arrangements for taking the project forward.Respective ministers in Scotland and Northern Ireland will meet shortly to discussand agree the next steps to be taken. Further information will be made availableas soon as practicable.

The responsibilityfor the overall provision of NHS dental services rests with the NHS board.

NHS Highland is currently,with vigour, exploring all optionsto establish a new NHS dental practice in Oban. It is appreciated by the CommunityHealth Partnership that access to NHS dentistry must be resolved as quickly as possible.No decision on a site has been made and discussions are on-going with various localagencies.

VisitScotlandalready sources locally books of particular interest, and will continue to doso. While procurement requirements contain no obligation for VisitScotland tocater specifically for local publishers, it nevertheless took great care in thepreparation of its procurement process for books and maps to ensure that itcould be open to both local and national suppliers, large and small. Throughthis process VisitScotland aims to offer local books and maps that somevisitors wish to purchase, as well as maximising its effectiveness throughimproved procurement, as required by government

Although pricingis an operational matter for VisitScotland, I understand that it has no plan toundercut other shops. Its practice is to sell books at RRP and there are noplans to change this.

VisitScotlandalready sources locally books of particular interest, and will continue to doso. While procurement requirements contain no obligation for VisitScotland tocater specifically for local publishers, it nevertheless took great care in thepreparation of its procurement process for books and maps to ensure that itcould be open to both local and national suppliers, large and small.

Any main supplierappointed by VisitScotland would be expected to procure books and maps from awide range of sources, but VisitScotland intend to retain the option ofcontinuing to buy a range of local interest titles directly from localsuppliers, when that would be appropriate. This arrangement will allow its touristinformation centres to continue to procure locally books, maps and, indeed,other merchandise of local interest; some of these may not be available fromother stockists. Through this process VisitScotland aims to offer local booksand maps that some visitors wish to purchase, as well as maximising itseffectiveness through improved procurement, as required by government.

In addition,VisitScotland met with Publishing Scotland recently to discuss its tenderprocess for books and maps. The meeting sought to address issues raised byPublishing Scotland’s members and led to a discussion on opportunities for betterworking and communication.

VisitScotlandalready sources locally books of particular interest, and will continue to doso. While procurement requirements contain no obligation for VisitScotland tocater specifically for local publishers, it nevertheless took great care in thepreparation of its procurement process for books and maps to ensure that itcould be open to both local and national suppliers, large and small.

Any main supplierappointed by VisitScotland would be expected to procure books and maps from awide range of sources, but VisitScotland intend to retain the option ofcontinuing to buy a range of local interest titles directly from localsuppliers, when that would be appropriate. This arrangement will allow its touristinformation centres to continue to procure locally books, maps and, indeed,other merchandise of local interest; some of these may not be available fromother stockists.

Through thisprocess VisitScotland aims to offer local books and maps that some visitorswish to purchase, as well as maximising its effectiveness through improvedprocurement, as required by government.

Within publicsector procurement guidelines, the procurement process followed byVisitScotland allows it to stock local products in tourism information centreswhich reflect the distinctiveness of each part of Scotland. The sale of books and maps in tourism information centres is directlyrelated to VisitScotland’s role in providing information and inspiration tovisitors, contributing to the visitor experience, and meeting consumerexpectations. However, the support and training offered to its staff to enablethem to do this is an operational matter for VisitScotland.