- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the presence of parasites of the Argulus species will be included as a matter to be notified to its Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD), as a notifiable disease or parasite, under the terms of the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill; what steps are being taken to ascertain how this parasite is spreading, and whether the Executive will publish all the information held by SEERAD and other public agencies in relation to Argulus.
Answer
The bill contains provision (section4) for ministers to modify the definition of “parasite” and thereby include Argulus,if there was a need to do so.We do not believe there is sucha case at present, but together with the Fisheries Research Services (FRS) we willconsider further surveillance to update our understanding of the distribution of the parasite, information about which can be found on the FRS website
www.marlab.ac.uk.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 23 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the restoration of Castle Tioram would provide benefits to Scotland¿s tourism industry; whether it is satisfied with Historic Scotland¿s position in respect of such a restoration, and what value it places on the significance of cross-party support from MSPs for its restoration.
Answer
There is no currentapplication for the restoration of Castle Tioram. Any application for scheduledmonument consent to restore the castle will be considered on its own meritsunder the established procedures. Since the final decision could be forScottish ministers it would not be proper for me to offer comment on the meritsof a prospective application.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 17 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated costs are of rate relief to businesses affected by the Edinburgh trams project in each year of construction and whether agreement has been reached on this issue and, if so, with whom and on whose authority.
Answer
This is entirely a matter forthe City of Edinburgh Council as promoter of the Edinburgh Tram project. We are verypleased that agreement has been reached on this matter and the overall project iscontinuing according to programme.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in respect of a replacement for the Community Environmental Renewal Scheme.
Answer
In reply to question S2W-28102on 13 September 2006, I stated that the Community EnvironmentalRenewal Scheme was designed to assist communities in the vicinity of past or presentquarries subject to the Aggregates Levy, and that the position on funding afterMarch 2007 will follow from decisions on the levy still to be announced by the Chancellorof the Exchequer and on subsequent decisions by Scottish ministers on distributionof any funds. 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/webapp/wa.search.That remains the position howeverthe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and HM Treasury have carriedout a policy review of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund during 2006, to examinethe extent to which the Fund has met its objectives so far, whether it should continueand if so, what activities the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund should fund from2007 onwards.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/aggregates/index.htm
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether hydro schemes proposed by communities or community organisations will be eligible for assistance under any replacement for the Community Environmental Renewal Scheme.
Answer
The consideration of any continuationor replacement for the Community Environmental Renewal Scheme depends on decisions on the AggregatesLevy still to be announced by the Chancellor, and on subsequent decisions by Scottishministers on distribution of any funds. Given these circumstances it is not possibleto say at present whether hydro schemes proposed by communities or community organisationswould be eligible for assistance.
The Scottish Executive is currentlyundertaking a review of funding for local environmental regeneration projects. Theoutcomes of this review will inform decisions on the future of the Community EnvironmentalRenewal Scheme after March 2007.
Community hydro schemes are alreadyeligible for funding under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative(SCHRI). The scheme, which supports a range of community organisations, providessupport for technical assistance as well as capital grants.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 10 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) initial and (b) secondary work was carried out on the A9 road junction at Grainish by Aviemore; in each case, what the total cost of the work was and who will meet the cost, and whether the secondary work carried out was for the purpose of rectifying the previous work and, if so, who will meet the cost of the rectification work and whether the taxpayer will meet any part of it and, if so, how much.
Answer
The initial works involved simplifying the layout of the junction through removal of the acceleration and deceleration lanesincluding the associated traffic island and resurfacing the carriageway oneither side of the junction. The cost of this design and build (fixed price) workordered by Transport Scotland was £250,327.85.
The secondary works involvedincreasing the approach and exit widths at the junction to allow easiermovement of heavy goods vehicles. This requirement was identified at a RoadSafety Audit carried out as part of Transport Scotland’s normal qualityassurance processes following completion of a changed layout. The Road SafetyAudit identified that large heavy goods vehicles were having difficultiesmoving through the junction.
As the scheme was a designand build, fixed price project carried out by BEAR Scotland, nofurther costs were incurred by Transport Scotland for the secondary work carried out in September 2006.
Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area and can be contacted for moreinformation if required.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 9 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what direction and guidance it has given to Transport Scotland regarding track access charges on the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail line.
Answer
Transport Scotland is partof the Scottish Executive, directly accountable to Scottish ministers. Consequently,no such direction or guidance has been given.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 9 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates it would cost to make the railway from Inverness to Perth double track in its entirety; how long it estimates it would take to complete this work, and how the estimated (a) cost of and (b) timescale for completion of any such project compares with the estimated cost of, and timescales for, the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link.
Answer
Network Rail owns and operatesScotland’s rail infrastructure. Estimates on the cost of enhancing the rail networkand likely timescales could best be estimated by Network Rail.
The Edinburgh Airport Rail Linkscheme has a budget of £496.987 million at 2004 prices and is scheduled for completionby 2011.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 7 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has been made aware of by Transport Scotland or the Office of Rail Regulation regarding their discussions on track access charges on the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail line.
Answer
Transport Scotland’s intentionin discussions with the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is to seek track accesscharges at a level such that the overall costs to operators of using the new routeare no greater than the current costs of using the Forth Bridge route.
The ORR has yet to determinethe level of track access charges applicable to Freight Operating Companies usingthe Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail line.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 7 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development was advised to refuse to attend a meeting organised by the Moorland Forum at Langholm if a representative of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association was present and, if so, what the reason was for this advice and by whom it was given.
Answer
I received no such advice.
