Chamber and committees

The Executive has been workingwith Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company and local partners, including North AyrshireCouncil, Communities Scotland and Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, to assist in thedevelopment of comprehensive proposals for the regeneration of the Irvine Bay areaof North Ayrshire. These proposals will focus on both retaining the existing populationand also attracting new people to the area, by creating a vibrant area with a strongeconomy, a high quality of life and an enhanced environment.

The information requested isnot available. Estimates and projections of the economic benefits of the schemehave been made based on new jobs created to the area during the construction andfollowing completion of the M74 and benefits to users of the road network.I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-64 on 1 June 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.

We are investing £40 millionin the trunk road infrastructure in North Ayrshire including the completed A78“Three Towns Bypass” (Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenson), four improvements schemeson the A737 and a study of the traffic problems affecting Dalry which will feedinto the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

On rail we have an aspirationto lengthen trains to Ayrshire, including Prestwick Airport and to operate an additional hourly service on the Ayr route.

Future options for investmentin the trunk road and rail network will be considered as part of the Strategic TransportProjects Review which is examining the needs of the national strategic transportcorridors throughout Scotland. The review is due to report in summer 2008.

We expect the M74 Completionscheme to be complete and open to traffic in 2011.

The current investment programme to 2012 will see the delivery of £7.25 million investment in the A737. The Strategic Transport Projects Review will also examine the longer term needs of Scotland''s nationally strategic transport network to develop the investment plan necessary for 2012 to 2022.

Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted if required.

It is for developers to proposethe location of wind farms. Subsequent applications for planning permission or forconsent under the Electricity Act are subject to consultation requirements and authoritiesdetermining an application must fully consider all material issues relevant to theproposals, including local authority development plans and relevant guidance. Consequently,consultees’ responses including any views of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park Authorityand representations from members of the public are considered as part of the overalldetermination process.

We place great importance onattracting jobs and increasing investment throughout Scotland, includingNorth Ayrshire.

Together with the local authority,training agencies, the voluntary sector, Communities Scotland and other local partners,Scottish Enterprise is making a significant contribution to the Ayrshire economyby increasing employment and economic development opportunities.

Examples of such support forNorth Ayrshire include: workforce development, the Lochshore project on the siteof the former Glengarnock Steel Mill, Ayrshire Innovation Centre, the Clyde Marina/ArdrossanHarbour project and the Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company.

There is no assessment for thefirst five years but it is estimated that up to 25,000 jobs will be created in theWest of Scotland by 2030 following the completion of the M74.

One of our central prioritiesis to support Scotland’s economic growth. We have already made clear that oneof the ways in which we will do so is by removing or reducing the burden of businessrates for small businesses, many of which are located in traditional town centresacross Scotland. We will announce further measures in due course.

The information requested isnot held centrally at this time. Changes to the homelessness statistics data collectionsystem, introduced from April 2007, allow councils to identify applicants from themost recent EU accession states. The first annual statistics on such applicants,for the year 2007-08, will be published during 2008.