Chamber and committees

The emerging offshore renewable sectors will need sound infrastructure, and a strong and responsive supply chain. These are critical issues, pinpointed in our Renewables Action Plan and the recently published Marine Energy Road Map. The Scottish Government is working with its partners to look at the improvements which are needed and how they might be delivered.

Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) are carrying out a strategic assessment (the National Renewables Infrastructure Project). This is looking at the ports and harbours infrastructure that the offshore renewables technologies will need. It will develop a spatial framework for port and port-side land infrastructure (including sites for integrated manufacturing, and maintenance/vessel support bases) which can support the manufacturing, construction, operation and maintenance of commercial wave, tidal and offshore wind devices.

The findings from this work will be reported back in October 2009, and the findings will help inform future strategic investment decisions. As part of this work I will lead a trade mission to the German port of Bremerhaven, recognised as a leader in supporting offshore renewables.

The Scottish Government welcomes the recommendations which accompanied the industry-led Marine Energy Group''s Marine Energy Road Map. We are considering these recommendations carefully. In the meantime, we are continuing to provide support to several projects which were awarded grants under the first WATES round.

The Scottish Government is continuing to provide direct capital support to several projects which were awarded grants under the first WATES round. We expect some of these projects to start receiving revenue payments in the near future, following their successful deployment at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.

We have also introduced the highest levels of revenue support for wave and tidal power within the UK, following recent changes to our Renewables Obligation legislation with five ROCs for wave and three ROCs for tidal stream projects.

The Scottish Government also welcomes the proposed £22 million Marine Energy Proving Fund, announced by DECC and which will be available for projects across the UK. This fund will build on our successful WATES scheme, supporting the testing and demonstration of pre-commercial wave and tidal stream devices.

We have also introduced the £10 million Saltire Prize challenge, which will attract international investment in the commercial deployment of marine renewables in Scottish waters.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0903-01.htm

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25978 on 14 August 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-25978 on 14 August 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 understand that Luss Estates, who are responsible for the management of Inchconnachan Island, are in the process of developing a conservation management plan for the Luss Islands, including Inchconnachan. The plan will take account of the island''s inclusion in a site of special scientific interest with objectives which include delivering the best approach to conservation of native wildlife and habitats. The estate has sought and received advice on the formulation of the plan from Scottish Natural Heritage, Deer Commission Scotland and the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority. While the plan and any actions flowing from it are the responsibility of the estate, it appears that the process which the estate has put in place is likely to be helpful in informing responsible decisions about the future management of the island.

Transport Scotland has responded in detail to the issues Road Sense has raised in their complaint. We believe that Road Sense''s allegation of breach of the requirements of the preamble and various articles of the Aarhus Convention is unfounded.

The total scheme cost, at time of completion, per mile of trunk roads and motorways constructed over the last 10 years, broken down by road, is shown in the following table:

Scheme	Cost Per Mile (£)
A1 Bowerhouse to Spott	4,486,001.65
A1 Howburn-Houndwood	3,573,807.36
A1 Haddington-Dunbar	3,725,064.33
A1 Spott-Oswald Dean	2,161,813.34
A1 Thistly Cross-Bowerhouse	5,513,187.55
A68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass	12,001,662.17
A68 Soutra Hill	1,007,587.98
A7 Auchenrivock	5,446,698.10
A7 Hawick Traffic Relief	5,346,764.39
A720 Edinburgh City Bypass Phase 1	222,932.40
A720 Edinburgh City Bypass Phase 2	5,938,813.26
A720 Sheriffhall Interim Improvements	2,011,683.86
A75 Overtaking Opportunities	7,316,365.22
A75 The Glen	1,927,591.45
A76 Glenairlie	5,186,688.44
A77 Ayr Road Route	4,735,398.21
A77 Haggstone and Glen App	17,802,348.75
A78 Ardrossan-Stevenson	11,234,820.34
A8 Baillieston-Newhouse Maintenance	5,613,974.75
A82 Base Camp Bridge	7,321,957.40
A828 Creagan Bridge	3,072,892.07
A830 Arisaig-Kinsadel	3,116,359.28
A830 Arisaig-Loch nan Uamh	5,200,098.00
A830 Rubha Na Magach-Aberarder	538,877.54
A876 Upper Forth Crossing at Kincardine	25,932,905.58
A9 Helmsdale-Ord of Caithness	5,714,126.11
A96 Coachford	5,104,163.10
A96 Newtongarry-Adamston	3,241,260.77
A985 Kincardine Eastern Link Road	12,545,333.38

Notes:

1. Trunk road and motorway schemes currently under construction have not been included as final outturn construction costs are not known until scheme completion.

2. Total scheme cost includes all preparation costs, land costs, construction costs and VAT where applicable. It should be noted that land costs are still subject to negotiation following construction of a scheme. Where final outturn land costs have not been established for the schemes listed, estimated outturn land costs have been used.

3. Privately financed projects and junction improvements constructed over the past 10 years have not been included.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26037 on 13 August 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.