Chamber and committees

The amount awarded as compensation to motorists and other road users as a result of defects on the trunk road network is as follows:

Year	Compensation Paid (£000)
1999-2000	939
2000-01	104
2001-02	763
2002-03	321

The final out-turn compensation figure for 2003-04 is not yet available.

The primary aim of the waterbornefreight grant (WFG) scheme is to encourage the development of new water freightroutes which take lorries off roads by contributing to possible revenue short fallduring the first three years of operation. In exceptional circumstances WFG mayalso be available where, without grant support, a service which currently takeslorries off our roads by transporting freight by water will cease. In both thesecircumstances applicants will be required to demonstrate that after a maximum ofthree years the service will be capable of operating without grant support.

Detailed guidance is currentlybeing developed and every application for grant will be considered on its meritsin terms of eligibility for grant assistance.

The Strategic Rail Authority(SRA) is required, under section 73 of the Railways Act 1993. to maintain a publicregister which must include copies of all franchise agreements. The SRA public registeris kept at the SRA and may be viewed by appointment with the SRA Secretariat. Elementsof the franchise agreement are removed as set out in section 71(2) of the RailwaysAct 1993. The percentage removed from each franchise agreement tends to be smalland varies in each case.

These arrangements apply to thecurrent and the next franchise agreements.

This is a matter for the Cityof Edinburgh Council.

The Executive has held discussionswith British Airways, as well as other airlines, and the Department for Transporton a range of aviation matters including direct flights from Scotland.

I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2O-2383 on 20 May 2004, which is available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/search.htm.

The actual level of funding supportavailable for individual waterborne freight grants will depend on a number of factorsincluding the projected cash flows of the proposed service (applicants will needto demonstrate that the proposed shipping route will be commercially viable afterthree years). In addition EC state aid approval was on the basis that there wouldbe an upper limit of grant support of 30% of the operating costs together with maximumfunding of €2 million over the three years of the shipping operation. These limitswere based on those already in place for a similar scheme in operation within theEU.

No application has been made.

Local licensing authorities have the power to license under 18 discotheques under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act1982. This includes power to attach conditions to a licence which the organiserof the event must observe. An authorised officer of the licensing authority, the fire service or police may enter and inspect the premises at any time.

In view of the ongoing CulturalReview, the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA), who regulateappointments to the Scottish Arts Council, has agreed to an exemption from a fullappointments round to recruit the next chair. OCPA has agreed that ministers mayrecruit a new chair from the existing council members, adopting in full the specialarrangements envisaged in para 3.18 of the OCPA Code, which allow for the promotionof a member to chair, for instance in the case of the sudden resignation of thechair. OCPA has approved the process for appointing a replacement chair only foran interim period of up to two years until the Cultural Review is concluded. Atthat point a decision will be taken on the way forward. All existing members ofcouncil must have the opportunity to express their interest, and all candidatesassessed as being suitable must be considered for the post. Candidates will be assessedby a three person appointments panel which will be chaired by a senior civil servant,include the chair of another public body, and also include an independent assessor.The decision on appointment will be made by ministers. These measures representa robust approach which reflects the extent and significance of the appointment.