Chamber and committees

Mindful of where we are in the financial year, the intention is to make available £1 million in 1999-2000 and £4 million in each of the next two years. I envisage the funds being fully utilised.

The purpose of the scheme is to help fish and shellfish farmers affected by ISA to become re-established at their previous level of trading. The concentration of aid at this end of the production cycle is seen as the best way of helping smolt and other suppliers to recover business lost through the disease controls. It is however open to such suppliers to seek assistance through other discretionary HIE programmes.

Meetings take place on a regular basis to discuss a range of matters. Officials carrying out the review of the Crofters Commission met officials of Highlands and Islands Enterprise in August 1999 and the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme was one of the items covered in that discussion but it has not been on the agenda for any meeting since then.

Any decision to upgrade the electrical grid in Scotland is a commercial matter for its owners, ScottishPower and Scottish and Southern Energy, and the Office of Gas and Electricity Regulation, which regulates the prices charged for use of the grid. Powers to grant consent for the construction or refurbishment of overhead power lines are executively devolved, and applications for consent for such work are made to Scottish Ministers.

In order to establish a percentage overall capacity enhancement, recourse to a trunk road network model incorporating all of the proposed schemes in the Strategic Roads Review would be required. As the Executive does not propose to implement all of the schemes examined, no such model has been developed.

The Strategic Roads Review - Scheme Decisions provides the latest information about dates for commencement of construction of the five major schemes being progressed. An estimated completed date for the M77 is also shown. The completion data for the other schemes will become apparent later in the procurement process. Information on timescales for the Kincardine Bridge will become clearer after the current studies have been completed. I refer Mr Scott to the relevant local authorities for further information about the M74 (Northern Extension) and the A8000 replacement. Construction times have not been estimated for the remaining schemes examined in the review.

When the efficiency review of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) was announced Ministers made it clear that they were keen to see industry representatives participating closely in the study. All members of the MHS Industry Forum were consulted and invited to attend Efficiency Advisory Group Meetings. Scottish interests were represented by The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers and the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders Associations. In addition to this, as part of the review of red tape in the meat industry, all licensed slaughterhouses were asked to provide information about operations, practices and MHS charges. This information will be used to assist in the review of burdens on the meat industry.

The Efficiency Advisory Group sought to consult all sections of the industry represented on the Meat Industry Forum as well as four consumer groups. In relation to Scotland, industry interests were represented by the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers, the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders Associations and the Scottish National Farmers Union. Each organisation was invited to put their views and ideas to the Efficiency Group in writing and to send representatives to a plenary meeting. The decision of the meeting was to form four working parties covering poultry meat, full throughput red meat, low throughput red meat, and duplication of paperwork. Subgroups included representatives of not only the organisations concerned in meat production, but also associations relating to farmers, consumers, welfare, environment, training and employees including unions.

In 1995, an independent consultant conducted an evaluation of the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme (CCAGS). Subsequently there was a consultation on proposals for change including, in particular, merging CCAGS into a new wider ranging scheme. In the light of that consultation, Ministers of the day decided to leave the scheme unchanged.

I met members of the Crofters Commission last month to discuss land reform measures relevant to crofting. This was the only meeting between Ministers and the Commission since 1 July. The Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme was not discussed.