Chamber and committees

The Scottish Agricultural College is currently still developing its proposals. No decisions have been taken and their final plans have yet to be submitted to ministers. When they are we will give them full and careful consideration.

The Convenor of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that Flour City Architectural Metals (FCAM) (UK) Ltd's Project Manager provided assurances over design information dates to our Construction Manager, on 17 May 2001. FCAM (UK) Ltd also presented a recovery programme, which anticipated delivery of a window sample on 22 June 2001. FCAM (UK) Ltd started work on site in June 2001 that mainly involved design work, surveys, initiating the procurement of materials and assembled units, and issuing installation method statements. The Parliament has received legal advice that related documentation should not be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre while the SPCB's rights and entitlements are still being evaluated, as it may form part of the productions in any litigation which may follow.

A full analysis of the payments made to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd, for the design and specialist cladding for the MSP block, has been undertaken. The following detailed breakdown can now be provided:

Description	Amount
Warehouse facilities & equipment	£24,250.00
Site facilities, equipment & supplier visit costs	£56,623.80
Design & engineering	£352,500.00
Site Management Team	£236,250.00
Transport, communications & site housekeeping	£49,136.50
Overheads & profit	£161,721.00
Sub Total	£880,481.30
Less 3% retention	(£26,414.44)
Total Payments	£854,066.86

The Parliament has received legal advice that the documents requested should not be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre while the SPCB's rights and entitlements are still being evaluated, as they may form part of the productions in any litigation which may follow.

The Project's construction manager, Bovis Lend Lease Ltd, actively pursued a performance bond from Flour City Architectural Metals (FCAM) (UK) Ltd, during the period April-July 2001, in anticipation of the full Trade Contract being concluded. Once in place however, the Trade Contract required submission of an agreed performance bond by 17 August 2001. When this was not provided the relevant "notice of failure" was issued on 30 August 2001. Shortly after "notice of failure", a meeting was held with FCAM (International) senior management and a further deadline, of 14 September 2001, was set for provision of a performance bond. This deadline was not met and "notice of intention to terminate contract" was duly issued to FCAM (UK) Ltd on 26 September 2001. The performance bond was a requirement of the contract between the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body and FCAM (UK) Ltd, and has no bearing on contracts between FCAM (UK) Ltd and its subcontractors. The SPCB has no contractual liability to FCAM (UK) Ltd's subcontractors.

We have no plans at present to amend the provisions in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 which provides local authorities with general powers to introduce bylaws which, for example, may ban drinking in public designated areas or streets.

We shall consider any recommendations the Nicholson Committee might make in this regard.

I visited Aviemore and travelled along the A95 on 11 February 2002.Trunk roads are defined as nationally important routes that serve destinations of importance to industry, commerce, agriculture and tourism. As such the 1996 Shaping the Trunk Road Network report designated the A95 a trunk road in view of its importance to the economically productive Strath Spey valley industries (including the whisky industry) and in order to provide a gateway to the fishing centres along the Moray coast.

In accordance with the general principles in undertaking a relocation review, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) will consider issues such as costs, social issues, personnel issues, transport and environmental considerations. A valuation of Hope Terrace, Edinburgh will be obtained to ascertain the potential costs or benefits in relocating. Should the review recommend moving from Hope Terrace, capital receipts of up to £1 million would be available to SNH to cover relocation or other costs: capital receipts of more than £1 million would similarly be available with the consent of the Scottish ministers.

It was announced on 19 November 2001 that Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) would undertake a relocation review, as there is a property lease break in one of its Edinburgh offices in 2005. The review will access issues such as costs, quality and efficiency of service, economic factors such as unemployment, availability and suitability of property and staff, transport and environmental issues. Staff and unions will be consulted before decisions are taken on the most suitable location for SNH staff. The target date for completion of the review is mid-2002 and ministers will take a decision on the most suitable HQ location for SNH based on the review findings.

Scottish Natural Heritage carries out a range of headquarters functions at its Hope Terrace, Bonnington, Battleby, Inverness, Aberdeen and Clydebank locations.The following table gives details of the HQ functions carried by out by one or more staff at each office location.

	Hope Terrace	Bonnington	Inverness	Aberdeen	Battleby	Clydebank
Secretariat, Press and PR						
Corporate Planning and Information Unit	
Finance Services						
Personnel Services					
Information Systems Services						
Common Services						
Design & Information Services						
Audit and Review						
Operational Support Unit						
Advisory Services						
National Strategy						
Chief Scientists Unit		
Environmental Audit		
Natura 2000						
Directors Support Units						