- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Euan Robson on 2 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools teach Cantonese.
Answer
There is only limited information held centrally on the teaching and assessment of Cantonese and Mandarin in schools and in further and higher education. The last entrant to an SQA examination in Cantonese was in 1999.
- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 25 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support biofuel production as a renewable energy source.
Answer
The main means of support for biofuels is through tax relief. Cuts in fuel duty for biodiesel and bioethanol have already been introduced by the UK Government, and further steps are being considered.
In Scotland, we have also boosted this developing sector by providing £1.2 million towards the building of the UK’s first large scale biodiesel production unit.
- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 4 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of Scottish tourism revenue is generated from tourists from England.
Answer
In 2003 total tourism revenue in Scotland was estimated from survey data to be around £4.4 billion. Of that, just over £2 billion was generated from tourists from England, accounting for around 46% of the total tourism revenue earned in Scotland.
- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 July 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Minister for Environment and Rural Development has had with the Minister for Communities on the implications for rural development of the supply of social housing in rural areas.
Answer
The Minister for Communities and I are in agreement that affordable housing is an important issue for many parts of rural Scotland. That is why Communities Scotlandhave committed an increased proportion of their development programme resourcesto new and improved housing in rural Scotland. We are also undertaking a review of affordable housing and the Minister for Communities hopes to announce preliminary conclusions shortly.
- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 30 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in respect of implementing its response to Determined to Succeed: A Review of Enterprise in Education.
Answer
There has been significant progress since we published our response to Determined to Succeed. All 32 local authorities in Scotland arenow actively engaged in delivering on the Enterprise in Education agenda. Our report – ‘‘Determined to Succeed” One Year On - published today provides further details; copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament’s ReferenceCentre (Bib. number 33144).
- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 24 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is promoting the Southern Upland Way as a tourist attraction.
Answer
Walking is one of Scotland’s most significant outdoor activities, and VisitScotland and the Area Tourist Boards work hard to encourage visitors to experience the varied walking terrain found across the country. This work includes publicising the network of footpaths in each area, including the Southern Upland Way, and the use of websites such as VisitScotland’s “Walking Wild” website.
- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 3 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will adopt a policy of universal broadband coverage for the south of Scotland.
Answer
Ourpolicy aim is for pervasive, affordable broadband coverage across Scotland and we are making substantialprogress. Some 82% of Scotland’s population now have access tobroadband services and coverage is expected to reach around 95% by next summer.
We intendto build on this success. Earlier this week I announced our intention toundertake a procurement exercise to supply broadband to those areas notexpected to receive commercial services. The aim will be to ensure broadbandaccess is delivered to every Scottish community by the end of 2005.
- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 2 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31063 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 December 2002, which meetings of the European Council it has attended since 1999.
Answer
The European Council bringstogether the Heads of State or Government of the European Union and the Presidentof the Commission. The Executive has not attended any meetings of the EuropeanCouncil since 1999.
- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 6 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet organisers of local public festivals and local authorities to discuss any methods of providing insurance cover for such festivals.
Answer
The Scottish Executive are prepared to meet organisers of local public festivals and localauthorities to discuss arrangements concerning events, but it is for suchorganisers (including local authorities) to arrange the appropriate insurancecover for such events.
- Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 28 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish Natural Heritage will be signing a protocol with Scottish police forces with regard to their respective roles in enforcing legislation against wildlife crime to accompany those already agreed by the Executive's Environment and Rural Affairs Department, the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland.
Answer
I understand that a draft protocolformalising the respective roles of the police and Scottish Natural Heritage iscurrently being developed and should be finalised by the end of May 2004.
