Chamber and committees

Decisions in respect of the current round of applications under the European Fisheries Fund were announced on 25 November 2009. The appeal by North Isles Marine Ltd was considered as part of this round and the applicants have been informed of the award of £255,000 in grant support.

There is no review of the clinical management of acute cholecystitis currently underway and there are no plans to do so in the near future.

The issue of compensation is not specifically part of the terms of reference of the inquiry. As a matter of law, the inquiry cannot involve finding individuals and institutions legally liable for penalties, or for damages, or for breach of duty in any legal sense. However, the inquiry has the ability to examine any particular adverse consequences for patients treated by the NHS in Scotland and their families of infection through blood and blood products with hepatitis C and HIV. This could include some examination of the adverse financial consequences for individual patients and the taking of evidence as to those consequences.

We consider that the existing terms of reference would not rule out recommendations in relation to compensation if Lord Penrose were to feel, in the light of his investigations, that this was appropriate. However, the inquiry is independent of ministers and it is for the inquiry to reach its own conclusions in relation to the matters that have been referred to it and report its conclusions and recommendations to ministers at the end of that process.

It would not be appropriate for ministers to comment further on this issue in advance of the conclusion of the inquiry.

In making his opening statement for the public inquiry, Lord Penrose said he would set out in a preliminary report the facts and circumstances, and medical and scientific opinions, which have emerged from the first stage of evidence gathering. The timing of publication of this report is not known at this time.

Given the independent nature of the inquiry, it would not be appropriate to make any statement on matters relating to its terms of reference while the inquiry is in progress.

Historic Scotland provided an acquisition grant to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) towards the purchase of the Charlotte Square property of £700,000 on 27 March 1996. This grant is repayable by the trust on the sale of the property. On the assumption the agreed sale takes place, Historic Scotland would expect the NTS to repay this grant, which would then be available for allocation to other activities in support of the historic environment.

Historic Scotland also provided a grant of £1,600,000 in March 1998 towards the repair and renovation of the Charlotte Square property. Under the terms of the governing legislation and the normal terms of a grant offer this was only recoverable if the property was sold within 10 years. Historic Scotland therefore has no intention of reclaiming any element of this funding.

The post of chair of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) was advertised from 9 October 2009 in the Scottish press, on our website and on HIAL''s website. The closing date for applications was 6 November 2009.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28979 on 18 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28979 on 18 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28979 on 18 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28979 on 18 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.