Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21624.

The Performance Audit Group (PAG) carries out auditing and monitoring of the activities of the Operating Company, BEAR Scotland. The auditing and reporting is not carried out on a local authority boundary basis. A report, prepared by PAG, covering the first year of operation of the trunk road maintenance contracts will be published in summer 2002.A report on winter maintenance over the Christmas and New Year period has been submitted by PAG to the Scottish Executive in response to a request from the Executive on 3 January 2002. This report indicated that BEAR had undertaken its winter maintenance activities satisfactorily.PAG has provided the Scottish Executive with numerous routine audit reports and specific reports which confirm BEAR is generally carrying out road maintenance satisfactorily.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21624.

The Scottish Executive received seven representations concerning the adequacy of the gritting programme for trunk roads in the Highland area between 20 December 2001 and 7 January 2002.

The statutory basis of the Skye Bridge tolling regime has been examined and upheld by the Scottish courts on a number of occasions and we see no reason to believe that the position will change. However, as owners of the bridge, the Scottish ministers would be liable for any outstanding debt on the project.

In 1990, the then Government decided not to make a comparison with a publicly funded bridge on the basis that it had already ruled out any such option.

Scottish Executive Officials have held meetings with Highland Council on 5 and 14 November 2001 and 12 December 2001 to discuss trunk road winter maintenance.

The Scottish Executive has received a number of representations regarding the performance of BEAR Scotland Ltd in respect of the trunk road maintenance contract in the North west Unit, which includes the Highland Council area.In the majority of cases the matter has been referred to BEAR to investigate and address where necessary. The Performance Audit Group regularly audits BEAR's performance and in a few instances this had led to the issue of default notices.It would not be appropriate to give details of each representation received due to disproportionate cost.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has no plans to introduce a car share scheme for staff at the moment.

Following the completion of the first stage of the review of the Forest Enterprise Executive Agency in May 2001, we agreed with Environment and Rural Development Ministers in England and Wales that we intended to review the options for further decentralisation of forestry policy and management. Ministers have collectively decided that the review will start shortly and report next spring. It will consider the current administrative arrangements for delivering sustainable forestry policies in Scotland, England and Wales and the UK's international forestry commitments, including options for further devolution of these arrangements. The review will be undertaken by officials from the Scottish Executive, Forestry Commission, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the National Assembly for Wales, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. The Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will also be involved in the review. Views will be sought from interested parties during the course of the review.