- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has received representations from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) recommending that additional steps must be taken to protect the capercaillie population and, if so, what response it will make to the proposal by the SGA that SNH should fund hillpacks on a twice annual basis in areas where capercaillie are resident.
Answer
I understand that SNH has received a letter from the SGA seeking grant aid for foot-packs on a twice-yearly basis in areas where capercaillie are resident. SNH is taking action to enhance the capercaillie population through the Biodiversity Species Action Plan Steering Group, and by the development of the EU LIFE Nature project and large scale management trial. These include appropriate predator control in capercaillie areas, initially focused on Special Protection Areas, along with important management measures such as fence removal and habitat management. SNH has no plans to fund foot-packs specifically for the purpose of predator control in capercaillie areas, though use of dogs in fox control has not been ruled out in areas where this method is considered appropriate.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the capercaillie is facing possible extinction and, if so, what measures it will take to prevent its extinction
Answer
The decline of the capercaillie population, to around 1,000 individual birds, is undoubtedly serious. If the decline continues the future of the species in Scotland would be seriously threatened. It is widely recognised that the decline is related to climatic changes, and in particular to a series of cold wet springs. There are other contributory causes and the measures described in the answer to question S1W-18767 are designed to address some of these.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 30 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support a bid by the City of Inverness to be the European City of Culture in 2008 and, if so, what (a) practical and (b) financial assistance it will provide to support the bid.
Answer
The Executive is pleased to support the costs of preparation of the proposed Highland bid for designation as European Capital of Culture 2008. We are making available £50,000 towards those costs in both this and the next financial year. This is in addition to support being given by VisitScotland and the Scottish Arts Council. My officials also stand ready in the event that the bid partners wish to discuss the bid during its preparation stages.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 30 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the relocation of the Scottish Arts Council to Inverness would assist any bid by the City of Inverness to become the European City of Culture.
Answer
The most appropriate location for the Scottish Arts Council will be considered during the council's forthcoming quinquennial review and will be based on a range of criteria that will include the needs of the arts sector across all parts of Scotland.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the campaign by the Highland Council for improvements to the A82, in particular (a) the introduction of lay-bys and passing places to provide overtaking opportunities for the Loch Ness length of the road between Fort Augustus and Inverness, (b) removal of the "pinch point" created by traffic lights on the narrow length of road near Ardlui, (c) improvements to the narrow winding sections between Tarbert and Inverarnan at the northern end of Loch Lomond and between Fort William and Onich, (d) improvement to the Invermoriston-Fort Augustus section to address the high accident rate and (e) removal of the height restrictions that exist at the railway bridges at Crianlarich.
Answer
The three-year programme of motorway and trunk road improvements, which I announced on 27 March, does not include any major schemes between Loch Lomond and Inverness. However, minor maintenance and improvement schemes are being progressed, including works on new lay-bys at Abriachan and Temple Pier and a new footway between Invermoriston and Dalcataig Junction. The roads programme is under regular review and we will consider the case for further improvements, including the schemes being promoted by the Highland Council, in the context of competing priorities across the whole of the network.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now implement the recommendation contained in the 1st Report 2000, Inquiry into the Delivery of Local Economic Development Services in Scotland, by the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee, that there should be an ombudsman created to consider complaints made in respect of the enterprise network and, if not, whether it will (a) review the remit of the external adjudicator, (b) extend the remit of the external adjudicators to include issues such as malfeasance and (c) increase the powers of the external adjudicators to include the power to award compensation and to assess what compensation should be appropriate.
Answer
We are taking forward the recommendation to create an ombudsman to investigate complaints against the enterprise networks as part of our wider exercise to establish modern arrangements for public sector ombudsmen in Scotland. In July we published a paper,
A Modern Complaints System, which set out detailed proposals, including the proposal that the External Complaints Adjudicators of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise would be wound-up and that the Enterprise Networks would fall within the remit of the proposed Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman. The main function of the new ombudsman will be to investigate claims of injustice resulting from maladministration.
In his statement to Parliament last month the First Minister confirmed our intention to introduce the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman Bill later this year.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet representatives from the Highland Council to hear their case for improvements to the A82.
Answer
I met representatives of the Highland Council, including the Lochaber Area Convener, when I visited the area in August. We discussed a range of transport issues, including the A82 trunk road, and the convener has since written to the department setting out his points in detail. I have no further plans to meet the council on this issue in the near future.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the A82.
Answer
The three-year programme of improvements to the motorway and trunk road network, which I announced on 27 March, included one major scheme on the A82. This project will improve capacity at the A82/A814 Dumbuck Junction, Dumbarton and allow further safety improvements at Milton Village. Preliminary work on the scheme will start in 2002-03. In addition, there are a range of routine and minor maintenance schemes in progress on the route.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 25 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the hydroelectric power production of British Alcan at Kinlochleven and Fort William will qualify for the incentives to be introduced as from 1 January 2002 under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Draft Order 2001.
Answer
No final decisions on the detail of the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) have yet been taken. A statutory consultation exercise has just ended, and as part of this, my officials are meeting with representatives from British Alcan to discuss that company's views about support for renewable energy.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 24 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring forward detailed proposals to the Parliament in relation to the winding up of the Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes and whether it anticipates that payments to beneficiaries or pensioners will be made (a) this year, (b) next year or (c) later.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will bring forward detailed proposals of the categories of beneficiaries and distribution arrangements when the Scottish Transport Group Dissolution Order is brought forward for the approval of the Scottish Parliament in the autumn. Subject to the Scottish Parliament's approval the Executive expects to be in a position to progress the making of ex-gratia payments to all eligible beneficiaries during the course of this financial year.
