- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had or proposes to have with Ryanair regarding additional air links between Prestwick and destinations in Europe.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has had no discussions with Ryanair about additional air links between Prestwick and destinations in Europe. We have, however, had discussions with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and airport operators about the promotion of additional air links serving Scotland. We will continue to encourage the development of more commercial and cost effective air services from Scotland for the benefit of the travelling public and the Scottish economy.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had or proposes to have with easyJet regarding a direct air link between Scotland and Northern Spain.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has had no discussions with easyJet about a direct air link between Scotland and Northern Spain. We have, however, had discussions with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and airport operators about the promotion of additional air links serving Scotland. We will continue to encourage the development of more commercial and cost effective air services from Scotland for the benefit of the travelling public and the Scottish economy.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise spent on management consultants in relation to matters of internal organisation in each year since 1997 and what the anticipated expenditure is anticipated on this until 2003.
Answer
This is an operational matter for both Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the Chairmen of both organisations to write to the member direct. A copy of the replies will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit was of any management consultants involved in considering the internal organisation of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in each year since 1997.
Answer
No consultants have been engaged since 1997 by either the Scottish Office or the Scottish Executive to consider the internal organisation of either Highlands and Islands Enterprise or Scottish Enterprise.The employment of such consultants by the bodies themselves is an operational matter and I have asked the Chairmen of both organisations to write to the member direct. A copy of the replies will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many expressions of interest it had received in respect of taking over the Motorola site at Bathgate as at 26 April 2001, and when the details of those interested parties were given to Motorola.
Answer
Motorola has submitted, for formal consultation, a proposal to cease operations at Easter Inch.A number of initial expressions of interest in the facility have been received by the Executive and by Scottish Enterprise.Should the current proposal to close this facility be ratified the Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise will work jointly with the company on the marketing of the site to attract new jobs to the area.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 17 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14726 by Rhona Brankin on 17 April 2001, what action it (a) has taken and (b) intends to take to support and encourage the use and introduction of solar heating.
Answer
Working within a UK framework with the Carbon Trust and the DTI, the Executive will continue to encourage research and development into a range of low carbon technologies, including solar heating, and, where these technologies are demonstrated to be technically feasible and to have the potential to be cost-effective, we will seek to stimulate their deployment.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the planning and environmental impact would be at airfields in the Highlands and Islands of British Airways moving entirely to jet aircraft following any takeover of British Regional Air Lines Group plc and how it would ensure that any subsequent costs incurred were not passed on to passengers through increased travel costs.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is not aware of any plans by British Airways for an all jet aircraft operation in the Highlands and Islands following its take-over of the British Regional Air Lines Group plc.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to extend the fuel duty rebate scheme to cover non-registered coach journeys and coach holidays and whether it has any plans to extend the scheme in this way.
Answer
Statutory powers are included in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 to enable the Scottish Executive to amend the basis for grants to bus operators, including a power to make regulations as to the classes of bus service for which grant might be paid, and the method of calculation.The Commission for Integrated Transport is currently reviewing subsidies to the bus industry. The Executive is considering an interim recommendation that Fuel Duty Rebate be extended to scheduled coach services.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the report by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC), Realising their Potential - Report of the Contract Research Staff Initiative, and what guidance it has given to the SHEFC in the light of the report's recommendations.
Answer
I have already emphasised to SHEFC, in my guidance letter of November 2000, that improvement in human resource policies and management should be a priority for the sector. This report makes a helpful contribution to taking this agenda forward in the case of contract researchers. While the issues raised are primarily for those responsible for the employment and management of contract researchers, I expect that the report's findings will also assist SHEFC in promoting good employment practice.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 16 May 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new chief executive of visitscotland will be selected by visitscotland and, if so, what role the Executive will take in the new appointment, in particular, whether it will issue any guidance or guidelines to visitscotland with regard to the appointment process.
Answer
Yes. The Executive will be involved in the selection process and will exercise its function of giving consent to visitscotland's appointment. The appointment process is for visitscotland. We are content for the search to look for a chief executive with the qualities described in the answer to question S1W-15445.
