- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 9 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is with regard to supporting and promoting traditional music and how much it has (a) spent on and/or (b) budgeted for traditional music in each year from 1999 to 2005, stating which organisations have received funding.
Answer
Support for all of thetraditional arts is a key part of the Executive’s cultural strategy. the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) gives traditional music priority across its variousfunding strands: education through organisations such as Feisan nan Gaidhealand Feis Rois and also through cultural co-ordinators and the Youth MusicInitiative; a national tutor training network; professional development andperforming opportunities; composition classes; traditional music officer postsin local authority areas; festivals such as Celtic Connections and HebrideanCeltic Festival; promotion through events such as Showcase Scotland. Inaddition, SAC Lottery awards to this sector include awards to the NationalYouth Pipe Band, the Gordon Gaitherin, the Feis movement and CelticConnections.
Detailed information on thesums spent on and budgeted for traditional music is given in the document ScottishArts Council - Scottish Executive Awards toTraditional Music 1999 to 2004 a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30870). It is estimated that in eachof the last two years over £1 million has been allocated to traditional musicacross the country from both voted and Lottery funds.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 9 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the relationship is between it and OFCOM; what rights it has to give direction and guidance to OFCOM; what its role is in the appointment of any Scottish representative, and whether it has submitted any nominations, or commented on the suitability of a nominee, for such a representative and, if so, what advice it has given.
Answer
The Executive and OFCOM havea non-statutory relationship and are developing linkages to ensure appropriatedialogue. As OFCOM is a UK-wide regulator, only the UK Government has the statutorybasis for providing it with direction and guidance, including on appointments.
The Executive has beenupdated on progress with Scottish representative appointments to OFCOM by thenew regulator and also by Scotland Office.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 9 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the protocols are in respect of its dealings with OFCOM.
Answer
The Executive expects tohave close working relationships with OFCOM and its Scottish representatives.We are currently discussing the means by which we will establish ournon-statutory relationship with the new regulator. In the meantime, OFCOM iskeeping the Executive informed of its own plans and progress.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 9 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to obtain a dedicated digital channel or additional Scottish output for Scotland and the Gaelic language and, if it has, what stage any negotiations have reached.
Answer
In May 2002, a short-life working group was established to advise UK ministers onthe gaelic broadcasting provisions to be inserted into the draft communicationsbill. The Scottish Executive, Scotland Office and the Department of Culture Mediaand Sport participated along with other key stakeholders.
The working group helpedshape the Gaelic provisions of the Communications Act 2003. This actestablished a new gaelic media service (SnMG) to replace the present gaelic broadcastingcommittee (CCG).
The new legislation alsoenabled the gaelic media service to apply to OfCOM for a broadcast licence.This would allow a dedicated Gaelic TV channel to be delivered on a digitalplatform. This is now a matter for the board of the gaelic media service toconsider after consultation with relevant interests and stakeholders.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 5 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual expenditure has been on public relations and advertising by Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd since 1997 and what the estimated budget for such expenditure is for the next three years.
Answer
The annual amounts are as follows:
| | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 est | 2004-05 est | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
| | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| HIAL | 32,703 | 38,648 | 51,263 | 58,728 | 57,661 | 146,608 | 192,381 | 173,000 | * | * |
| Support through HIAL from other agencies | | 30,000 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Totals | 32,703 | 68,648 | 51,263 | 58,728 | 57,661 | 146,608 | 192,381 | 173,000 | * | * |
Note: *estimated amounts are not available but HIAL’s 5-year plan shows that the figures will increase each year by inflation
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 5 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government in respect of addressing any shortage of qualified HGV drivers in Scotland, in light of the impact of any such shortage on the economy.
Answer
I am aware of the concernsof the Scottish haulage industry regarding the recruitment and retention of HGVdrivers. Communication with Westminster is maintained on this issue through ScottishExecutive attendance at the UK road haulage forum.
My officials have also beenworking closely with Scottish representatives from the Road HaulageAssociation, the Freight Transport Association and Skills for Logistics inseeking ways to address these concerns. As a result, in the past year we havelaunched two training initiatives funded through the Scottish Road HaulageModernisation Fund. These are: The Young Driver Training Scheme and the Scottish Driver Training Scheme (aimed at over 21s).
My officials continue tomeet industry representatives on a regular basis and are currently consideringfurther initiatives to address recruitment and retention of staff within theindustry in Scotland.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 4 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is to develop and expand (a) cruise liner visits and (b) the cruise liner sector in Scotland; what funding is available to support the cruise liner sector; what organisations are responsible, and in what role, for the promotion of the sector, and how much funding each organisation will be expected to provide.
Answer
This is an operationalmatter for VisitScotland, which is responsible for maximising the economicbenefits of tourism to Scotland.
VisitScotland does recognisethe importance of the cruise market. It provided start up funding forCruiseScotland to attract more business from this sector, and is nowrepresented on its board. The future structure of CruiseScotland is beingdiscussed with VisitScotland, which has agreed to assist with research anddevelopment.
There has of course beenconsiderable private sector investment in the cruise market, for example at OceanTerminal at Leith. The public sector has also been active whereappropriate; for example Highland Council markets its cruise ports in the northto the international cruise market.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 4 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support the teaching of English as a foreign language (TEFL); how TEFL has been supported in each of the last four years; what information it has in respect of the organisations that support TEFL; what plans it has to promote TEFL abroad and which organisations will be involved in this process; what financial benefits TEFL has brought in each year since 1997; how many visitors have come to Scotland to learn English as a foreign language since 1997, and what funding will be made available to organisations to promote TEFL in each of the next three years, broken down by organisation.
Answer
The promotion of TEFL tointernational students visiting Scotland is part of the work of Education UK Scotland, whichis core-funded by the British Council and supported by the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Higher and Further Education Funding Councils. Scottish Executive funding for 2002-03 for Education UK Scotland is £50,000, with anadditional activities grant for 2002-03 of £30,000. Additional funding for the TEFLprogramme comes from the Scottish Independent Schools Council and the ScottishEnglish Language Teaching Consortium.
EducationUK Scotland promotes TEFL through the production of promotional materials(including the Education UK Scotland website, which contains a searchabledatabase of all English language courses available in Scotland),attendance at education fairs overseas and hosting visits to Scotland foreducation agents. Education UK Scotland is also working with the ScottishEnglish Language Teaching Consortium (SELTIC) to add value to their efforts inmarketing English language courses in Scotland.
BritishCouncil Scotland estimates that in year 2002-03, there were around 21,000(non-EU) international students in Scotland, generating an estimated £130 million for the Scottish economy and supporting around 7,000 full time jobs.
The British Council'snetwork of offices in 110 countries also continues to promote TEFL in the UK andoverseas, and encourages students from overseas to come to all parts of the UK,including Scotland, to learn English.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 3 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-1058 and S2W-2070 by Tavish Scott and Mr Andy Kerr on 28 July and 5 September 2003 respectively, what recent dealings it has had with the Nordic Council of Ministers; what involvement it will have with the council in 2004, and whether it will seek full or associate membership of the council in 2004.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has had recent contacts with the Nordic Council of Ministers on anumber of policies of common interest, including regional development, throughthe Nordic-Scottish Action Plan; culture, through the Network North initiative;and the marine environment, at the North Atlantic Conference in Lerwick on 1-2 October2003. We will continue to pursue these contacts in the year ahead and willconsider other opportunities for co-operation where they are likely to deliverbenefits for Scotland.
On the question ofmembership of the council, I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-2070on 5 September 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 29 January 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to promote genealogy as a reason for visiting Scotland.
Answer
Research shows that manyvisitors to Scotland give “family roots and ancestry” as the maininfluence on their decision to holiday in Scotland. Scotland is fortunate in having some of the best genealogicalresources in the world. In particular, the development of the £1.6 millionScottish Family History Centre announced by the Scottish Executive in December2002 provides a valuable opportunity to attract more visitors and maximise useof this tremendous resource.
The new Centre will link theadjacent General Register House and New Register House at the East end of Edinburgh’s Princes Streetto create a fully-integrated Register House campus. It will be fully operationalin 2006 and will create a one stop-shop for genealogy research, bringingtogether services provided separately by the General Register Office for Scotland,National Archives of Scotland and Court of the Lord Lyon.
In addition, in response togrowing demand for genealogy tourism to Scotland VisitScotland launched the AncestralScotlandwebsite in 2002. The primary aim behind the project is to use people’s interestin their ancestral roots as a hook to encourage tourism. AncestralScotlandoffers the user information on how to research ancestry and provides a databaseof names (based on the 1881 census) for users to search through. Thegenealogical information is linked directly to tourism information on therelevant regional tourist board site, thereby encouraging users not simply toresearch their ancestors but to travel to their homeland.
