Chamber and committees

The draft Plan for the special programme provides for improvements to communications, including roads, under Priority 2. The Plan is now subject to discussion and negotiation with the European Commission. I understand that the Commission has previously made it clear that it does not consider transport infrastructure should be given particular priority other than in exceptional circumstances.

For the purposes of the Food Labelling Regulations 1999 Scotland can be regarded as a "country of origin or provenance".

We have no plans to expand the membership of the Water Authorities beyond that currently allowed under the Act.

The present Victim Notification Scheme would not prevent the victims of crime being notified of the release of a person from custody in these circumstances. The age of a person at the time of committing a crime would not in itself prevent the victim or, in the case of homicide, next of kin, being notified of that person's release from custody under the Victim Notification Scheme.

We have no plans to do so. A Policy and Financial Management Review of the STB undertaken in 1998 found that all of the Board's current functions are necessary. These functions can be summarised as consumer and trade marketing, the development of the Area Tourist Board network and increasing the competitiveness of the industry. They are carried out in support of the objective that has been set for the Board, which is to help maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland. Currently, over 60% of the Board's programme expenditure is incurred on consumer and trade marketing.

The Chief Executive post was advertised at circa £80,000, and the 4 Executive Directors at circa £50,000. Non Executive Directors of the Scottish UfI will not be paid. The question of an honorarium for the Chairman has yet to be decided.

The Opportunity Scotland consultation paper of September 1998, the "Skills for Scotland" paper of March 1999 and the SUfI Development Plan of October 1998 all invited comment on our plans to establish the Scottish University for Industry by autumn 2000. Respondents overwhelmingly supported the establishment of the Scottish UfI.The Scottish UfI will be required to develop a number of success criteria which will be monitored and published. These will include targets such as the number of enquiries to the Scottish UfI helpline, the numbers taking up learning, the numbers progressing to further learning and the numbers completing learning. The Scottish UfI will be expected to publish an annual report and will be required to meet tough targets under a contractual agreement with the Scottish Executive for its funding.

The Scottish University for Industry's branding and communications strategy will be central to stimulating the demand for learning. The Scottish UfI will develop an extensive communications strategy, targeted at a number of sectors including SMEs. The Scottish UfI will work closely with local enterprise companies, and with representative bodies, to ensure that small firms are aware of, and can benefit from, the Scottish University for Industry.

£5 million a year has been identified for the development and operating costs of the Scottish UfI for the period to 31 March 2002.

£16.3m over 3 years has been allocated for the development of the Scottish UfI. £445,000 was allocated from the Windfall tax. The remainder was allocated from the Industry, Enterprise and Training budget of the Scottish Block. Funding for the development phase has been included in the Scottish Enterprise Grant in Aid allocation for 1999-2000.