- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 7 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what objections were made by the EC auditor to the management of 14 projects in the Highlands and Islands funded by the European Regional Development Fund between 1994 and 1999.
Answer
The draft report did not refer to the management of projects in operational terms. Concerns related largely to the absence of supporting documentation at the time of the visit, and since provided as part of the Executive’s response to the draft report.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 3 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the audit and monitoring procedures of projects in the Highlands and Islands differ from those procedures applied in other parts of Scotland.
Answer
No, they do not.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 3 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive which 14 projects funded by the European Regional Development Fund in the Highlands and Islands between 1994 and 1999 failed the recent first stage European Commission audit.
Answer
None. The draft audit report raises a range of issues. These have been addressed in the Executive’s response. We await the European Commission’s response.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 3 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions were set by the European Commission for the funding of the upgrade of the Nigg Bay dry dock.
Answer
The conditions set in relation to European Regional Development Fund grants to upgrade Nigg Bay dry dock were set by the then Scottish Office as Implementing Authority for the programme. These were set following detailed consultation between the European Commission, Department of Trade and Industry and The Scottish Office.
The grant conditions were:
1. In order to meet the European Commission Audit requirements of the programme, project sponsors are required to retain financial and accounting records for three years following the final payment made under the programme.
2. Within three months of the date of this offer, the project sponsor must submit to the (programme) Executive (and not the Scottish Office) details of thearrangements established, to fully monitor and evaluate this project and tomeasure its impact against targets contained within the Single ProgrammingDocument. No payment will be made until satisfactory details have beensubmitted.
3. The Highlands and Islands Partnership Programme will not normally consider applications for increased costs relating to an approved project. A request will only be considered in the most exceptional cases and at the discretion of the Programme Management Committee.
4. If the yard is to provide for works relating to oil rig decommissioning anEnvironmental Impact Assessment for the new work to be carried out will berequired to be submitted.
5. A satisfactory agreement between the applicant and BARMAC should be reached, as to reversion of the asset if the Nigg facility, or that part of it relating to the project, is closed.
6. The output of the yard shall not include metal hulled, self propelled ships, unless approval is granted by the Secretary of State for Scotland. Any such approval would only be given following consultation with the European Commission.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 2 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive which transport projects were funded through European structural funds from (a) 1994 to 1999 and (b) 2000 to 2005, broken down by (a) type, (b) location and (c) cost.
Answer
Details of transport projectsto which European Structural Funds have contributed funding since 1994 have today beenplaced in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35498).
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 1 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12959 by Tavish Scott on 28 January 2005, what levels of fine may be levied for breaches of the Game (Scotland) Act 1832; what punishments are available for any non-payment of such fines; whether these punishments have been amended since 1832, and whether they are consistent with its criminal justice policies.
Answer
The levels of fine which maybe levied for breaches of the Game (Scotland) Act 1832, and the punishments which are availablefor non-payment of fines are set out in the table below.
| Breach of Game (Scotland) Act 1832 | Level of Fine | Maximum Amount of Fine | Maximum Penalty for Non-Payment of Fine |
| Trespass in pursuit of game etc (section 1 of 1832 Act) | Level 3 | £1,000 | 28 days imprisonment |
| Trespass in pursuit of game etc when in disguise or in a group of 5 or more (section 1 of 1832 Act). | Level 4 | £2,500 | 45 days imprisonment |
| Assault or obstruction by a person trespassing of any person exercising his or her rights under the 1832 Act (section 6 of the 1832 Act). | Level 3 | £1,000 | 28 days imprisonment |
| Failure by person trespassing to provide his or her name and address (section 2 of the 1832 Act). | Level 1 | £200 | 7 days imprisonment |
The levels of fines andpunishments for non-payment have been amended several times since 1832. Themaximum amount of fine corresponding to each level is set out in what is knownas the “standard scale” which in turn is contained in the Criminal Procedure (Scotland)Act 1995. The 1995 act also sets out the maximum number of days imprisonmentthat can be imposed for default in payment of any level of fine.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 1 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12957 by Tavish Scott on 20 January 2005, how long it expects its consideration of whether to conduct a review of the Game (Scotland) Acts to last and when it will announce its conclusion.
Answer
No timescales have been setfor this activity. This issue is still under on-going discussion with the UKGovernment, and at the conclusion of these discussions a decision on any reviewapplying to Game Acts on Scotland will be made.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 1 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10902 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 October 2004, which crofting community buy-out proposals have been taken forward since the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 came into force and how many such proposals are now time-limited due to successful ballots being held in the affected areas.
Answer
We have yet to receive anapplication for a crofting community right to buy under part 3 of the LandReform (Scotland) Act 2003. However, two bodies have now providedballot results in accordance with the provisions of section 75(4) of the act.Both these bodies can now make an application for a right to buy in accordancewith the provisions of section 73 of the Act within a period of six monthsstarting from, and including, the date of their ballot without a need toconduct a further ballot.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 1 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive when it now intends to introduce the proposed Crofting Reform Bill.
Answer
The date for introduction of the Crofting Reform Bill has not yet been set. It is intended that a draft Billwill be published for consultation soon.
- Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 10 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an evaluation of educational materials required by Gaelic-medium education has been carried out in order for the provision of materials for such education to have parity with the provision of materials for pupils being taught in the English language and whether there has been an assessment of the impact of any lack of equivalent materials on Gaelic-medium education's ability to attract Gaelic-speaking teachers to teach in the Gaelic language.
Answer
Stórlann, the Gaelic Resources Centre, carries out an annual evaluation of the education materials required by teachers for Gaelic-medium education. The Scottish Executive seeks to ensure that there is adequate provision of good quality materials for Gaelic-medium classes. It would, however, be difficult to establish parity with the wide range of English language materials that are available for schools immediately. The Scottish Executive is not aware of any research that seeks to establish a correlation between the availability of Gaelic-materials in Gaelic-medium classes and the appeal of Gaelic-medium education to Gaelic speaking teachers. We will continue to support Stórlann to keep improving Gaelic-medium resources.
