- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend membership of regional project assessment committees to NFU Scotland.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-4728 on 17 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to press the case for appropriate and fair financial recompense to farmers who opt into any welfare disposal scheme that is implemented.
Answer
The Sheep WelfareScheme that began on 9 October 2007 is a voluntary scheme thatoffers farmers £15 per head for lambs under 25kg. We believe that figure representsa fair price for producers withoutproviding an incentive for culling animals for which a market can be found.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive why there is no farming representation on regional project assessment committees.
Answer
My officials consideredwith stakeholders very carefully the most appropriate composition of the new RegionalPriority Assessment Committees (RPACs). From those discussions, including farmersand the farming industry, it was made clear by stakeholders their strong preferencefor the RPACs to comprise Scottish Government officials. I understand stakeholdersfelt this approach would ensure the objective assessment of proposals for fundingunder Rural Development Contracts Rural Priorities.
Once funding decisionsare made, we shall be publishing the names of beneficiaries and providing feedbackthrough our website on resource allocation and spending trends. This should providesufficient information for stakeholders to determine whether we are delivering onthe Strategic Plan for Rural Development without involving them in individual projectassessments.
Furthermore, in theprocess of setting the regional priorities that will guide this spending we intendto consult with stakeholders and seek agreement to the proposed priorities througha series of regional meetings.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 2 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the public’s access to public notices and public sector recruitment information is not restricted by the Scottish Improvement Service’s introduction of two new websites advertising this information.
Answer
Anyone who wishesto access public information notices and recruitment opportunities will be ableto do so at any local authority office including public libraries. In addition,recruitment opportunities will continue to be available at job centres where appropriate.
The opportunity toutilise e-recruitment will not restrict opportunities but will make it easier toaccess more comprehensive information on job availability, whilst reducing the costto the public sector in advertising.
The increase inbroadband availability in Scotland means that we dominate a top ten league of ADSLbroadband take up of counties around the UK. Those that for geographical or socialreasons cannot access the internet at home or in the workplace will be able to doso from public buildings for example public libraries.
Both the public informationnotices portal and the recruitment portal were identified as priorities forlocal government by the previous administration. The projects align with the policiesof the new administration and continue to be supported.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 2 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it will give that those without internet provision will be able to access public notices and public sector recruitment information following the introduction of two new Scottish Improvement Service websites advertising this information.
Answer
Anyone who wishesto access public information notices and recruitment opportunities will be ableto do so at any local authority office including public libraries. In addition,recruitment opportunities will continue to be available at job centres where appropriate.
The opportunity toutilise e-recruitment will not restrict opportunities but will make it easier toaccess more comprehensive information on job availability, whilst reducing the costto the public sector in advertising.
Both the public informationnotices portal and the recruitment portal were identified as priorities forlocal government by the previous administration. The projects align with the policiesof the new administration and continue to be supported.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 2 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it will give that the two new websites proposed by the Scottish Improvement Service to advertise public notices and public sector recruitment information will be easily accessible to those without internet provision, in light of the local circulation levels and success of using local newspapers to advertise such matters.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentand its public sector partners has an obligation to provide value for money in pubicservice delivery. The overall public spend on Public Notices advertising and recruitmentwas £47 million in 2005-06. This is against a background of decreasing circulationof local newspapers with only 13 out of 68 recording circulation increases year-on-year.
Work undertaken acrossthe Scottish public sector in 2006 identified a key opportunity for efficiency gainsand service improvements within public information notice (PIN) advertising. Localgovernment have collectively identified a way of maintaining or improving the currentprovision of public notice information whilst saving money.
The opportunity toutilise e-recruitment will not restrict opportunities but will make it easier toaccess more comprehensive information on job availability, whilst reducing the costto the public sector in advertising.
Anyone who wishesto access public information notices and recruitment opportunities will be ableto do so at any local authority office including public libraries.
Both the public informationnotices portal and the recruitment portal were identified as priorities forlocal government by the previous administration. The projects align with the policiesof the new administration and continue to be supported.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 2 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to continue to use local newspapers to advertise public notices and public sector recruitment advertisements, in light of the Scottish Improvements Service’s proposal to introduce two new websites advertising this information.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentand its public sector partners has an obligation to provide value for money in pubicservice delivery. The overall public spend on Public Notices advertising and recruitmentwas £47 million in 2005-06.
In the changing communicationlandscape the Scottish Government has set itself key challenges to deliver efficientmodern services that are responsive to the needs of citizens. Both central and localgovernment have made significant investments in the e-government agenda and believethis needs to be supplemented by a reduction in compulsory paper based administrativerequirements so that more flexible and effective methods can be used to deliverinformation.
In the short-termwe will continue to use local newspapers where legislation requires this, but willreview advertising procedures and content to allow us to develop best practice toensure value for money is secured across the public sector. Any proposed changesto the legislation will provide Parliament with an opportunity to consider how thepublic sector can save money and improve communication both now and in the future.
Both the public informationnotices portal and the recruitment portal were identified as priorities forlocal government by the previous administration. The projects align with the policiesof the new administration and continue to be supported.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 26 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what it will do to combat digital exclusion in rural and remote areas.
Answer
We will work withpartners to tackle the issues around the digital divide and ensure all citizensbenefit from the opportunities technology can bring, including rural areas.
For example, we arelooking at ways of extending broadband availability to the less than 1% of householdsexperiencing difficulties with broadband access. For those without access to a computerat home, the Library Service’s People’s Network and Learndirect Scotland learningcentres provide access to computers and learning support across all areas of Scotland, and both offer outreach services to rural communities.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of funding will be made available to farmers and crofters who have carried out environmental management under Rural Stewardship Scheme, Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme and Organic Aid Scheme agreements to continue such management.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3256 on 18 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet the 2007 SNP manifesto commitment to consult on changes to planning regulations to allow for a requirement on supermarkets that a proportion of goods stocked are sourced and delivered locally.
Answer
We are currently givingconsideration to the mechanisms which might allow us to deliver this commitment.
