Chamber and committees

The content of marketing campaigns is an operational matter for VisitScotland and the BTA. The two agencies co-operate closely to ensure that BTA activities in respect of Scotland meet Scottish priorities and also supplement VisitScotland campaigns. The BTA therefore markets Scotland as a country that provides a diverse range of cultural activities.

The normal travelling time between Victoria Quay, Edinburgh and Meridian Court, Glasgow depends on the method of transport used and the time during the day when travel is undertaken. By public transport or car at peak times it may take up to one and a half hours. Information about the number of civil servants who currently travel on a daily basis between these two offices is not held in the form requested and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

The Performance Audit Group's (PAG) role is to monitor and report on the technical, financial and quality management performance of the new trunk road Operating Companies. This is very similar to the role which PAG performed in respect of the previous trunk road maintenance operators. PAG consists of personnel drawn from the Halcrow Group Ltd and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The estimated outturn cost of PAG for 2001-02 is £1.8 million. No contractors have been employed by PAG over the past year. Sub-consultants have been employed for short, specialist assignments at a cost of around £3000.

Winter Maintenance Plans have been drawn up by Amey Highways and BEAR (Scotland) Ltd. The detailed information requested can be found in copies of these plans which have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

The Scottish Executive does not forecast new housebuilding by local authority area. Edinburgh, West Lothian, Midlothian and East Lothian Councils are currently consulting on a draft structure plan covering the period 2000-15. The plan considers the need for new housebuilding in Edinburgh and the Lothians and how much of these might be built in Edinburgh. Copies of the draft can be obtained from any of the councils. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 provides for Scottish ministers to require local authorities to prepare local housing strategies. These will be based on an assessment of housing need and will set out local authorities' strategies for meeting this need over the following five-year period.

The Registrar General for Scotland's 1998 based population projections assume that net migration (the balance between inflows and outflows) into Edinburgh City for the years 2000-01 to 2015-16 will be 950 people per year. Assumptions for the 2000 based population projections are currently under consideration with a view to publication in February 2002. It is likely that the assumed level of net migration into Edinburgh City in these projections will be higher than the 1998 based projections.The Registrar General's population projections are trend based projections rather than forecasts. They give an indication of how the population of Scotland will change if recent past trends continue. They cannot take account of the uncertain effects of future decisions on employment and housing.

The Scottish Executive received the Steer Davies Gleave evaluation of the Rural Transport Fund in January 2001. The evaluation made a number of recommendations across a range of issues, and the Scottish Executive has responded by implementing a number of these. In particular the distance criterion for support to Rural Petrol Stations for installation of LPG tanks and dispensers has been reduced from 30 to 15 miles.The Scottish Executive is also co-operating with the work of the Scottish National Rural Partnership to improve a number of aspects of life in rural areas including those that are transport related.

This notified planning application was called in for determination by Scottish ministers on 26 October 2001. Arrangements are currently in hand to set up a public local inquiry. Ministers will make a decision once they have had the opportunity to consider the Inquiry Reporter's findings and recommendations.

The maintenance contracts awarded to private contractors were for trunk road maintenance, provision for which has always been outwith the local government settlement. The grant aided expenditure formulae for road maintenance and winter maintenance reflect local authorities' continuing responsibilities for maintaining local roads, and they are unchanged.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport is responsible for setting strategic objectives for visitScotland. The Minister for Culture, Media and Sport within the UK Government has similar responsibility in respect of the British Tourist Authority. Westminster ministers are required to consult Scottish Executive ministers before taking decisions that will affect BTA activity in respect of Scotland.