Chamber and committees

The current contractual arrangements with regard to the Scottish Executive's supported lifeline routes expire on 30 March 2003 and will require to be renewed from 1 April 2003 to ensure continuity of service. The Executive has responsibility for determining which air services within Scotland should be supported through EC Regulation 2408/92, in the context of the UK Government's overall responsibility for ensuring UK compliance with the terms of the regulation.

To date, the Executive has received three complaints from MSPs on behalf of their constituents about odours from the Seafield Waste Water Treatment Plant. Additionally, last year, my officials received a summary report on the problems at the plant from the then East of Scotland Water Authority.I am aware that representatives of the local community presented a petition on this issue to the Public Petitions Committee on Thursday 6 June. I await an approach from the committee seeking my comments on its contents.I understand that Scottish Water is putting pressure on Stirling Water to resolve the odour problems as a matter of extreme urgency.

The routes and mode of travel for school trips abroad will depend on a range of factors, including the operational requirements of the tour operating companies or other organisations which individual schools and education authorities may deal with in organising such trips. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Executive to offer advice to Directors of Education on the detailed matter of the means of travel in these circumstances.

The Scottish Executive has recently announced the award of £767,666 in European Regional Development Fund funding towards marketing initiatives by local tourist boards targeting the Northern European market and Scottish Enterprise has provided financial support towards marketing the route. VisitScotland is also working with Superfast Ferries to help promote the route

The Scottish Executive has not investigated the cost of buying out the Inverness Airport Terminal Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The PFI approach enabled the full redevelopment of the terminal to be completed earlier than would have been possible through public sector procurement. It is operating effectively and efficiently and the Executive sees no requirement to review the situation.

The Scottish Executive does not collect the detailed information requested.

The terms of the freight facilities grant payable to the Forth Ports plc in respect of the ferry facilities at Rosyth do not impose any conditions about the recruitment of seagoing staff by Superfast Ferries. As advised in my answer to question S1W-25260 on 7 May 2002, the recruitment of seagoing staff is a commercial matter for the company.

The Merchant Shipping Act 1988 was repealed by the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. The Scottish Executive has no powers under the 1995 Act, which is reserved and the responsibility of the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

The City of Edinburgh Council commissioned a consultant's report as part of the development of its New Transport Initiative, to look at the potential impacts of congestion charging schemes. This report is in the public domain.

Congestion charging schemes will be introduced only where there are firm proposals to reduce local congestion and improve public transport. We believe that schemes which meet these requirements will be in the interests of business, especially in the longer term.