- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 26 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the creation of a national Roman centre in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government,through Historic Scotland, is supporting the creation of an Antonine WallInterpretation Centre in the Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow. This Centre, to be opened in 2008, will providevisual and virtual information on the Antonine Wall and on the Roman occupationof Scotland.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 26 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the Antonine Wall gaining a World Heritage Site designation.
Answer
Yes. The Antonine Wallnomination for World Heritage Site status was prepared by Historic Scotland, onbehalf of Scottish Ministers, and submitted to the United Nations Education, Science and CultureOrganisation (UNESCO) by the Secretaryof State for Culture, Media and Sport on behalf of the UKgovernment in January 2007.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 26 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what commemorations it will hold to mark the 100th anniversary of Winston Churchill becoming MP for Dundee on 8 May 1908.
Answer
The Scottish Government doesnot currently have plans to commemorate this anniversary.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 25 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will protect post offices in rural areas from closure and what new services it will offer through post offices to make them viable.
Answer
The Scottish Government willdo all it can within our devolved powers to support a sustainable rural postoffice network. I have written to Post Office Ltd urging them to be transparentin their forthcoming consultation and to consider opportunities for trialservice delivery to enhance the future of rural post offices.
I have also written to the Convention of ScottishLocal Authorities encouraging their pro-active co-operation in localconsultation and consideration of future service delivery in conjunction withlocal post offices.
The text of both letters is available at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2007/07/18115922.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 24 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that having two squirrel control officers to protect southern Scotland from the spread of squirrelpox-infected grey squirrels is adequate.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage(SNH) currently employs two grey squirrel control officers in South Scotland.Since the discovery, in the Lockerbie area, of a red squirrel with squirrelpoxvirus, SNH has reviewed the strategy for control with advice from relevantexperts and stakeholder organisations in order to identify the most effectiveapproach to limit the spread of the disease and to maintain vigilance for suspectedcases elsewhere. Staffing levels were included in the scope of this review.
The conclusion was that the number of control officers iscurrently adequate but that this would need to be monitored as part of theoverall strategy for grey squirrel control in South Scotland.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 23 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage small-scale hydro schemes.
Answer
Small-scale hydro developerscontinue to gain revenue from Renewables Obligation Certificates issued underthe Renewables Obligation (Scotland).
A Hydro Sub-Group set up bythe Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland will investigate andreport on the potential hydro resource available in Scotland,any constraints on developing this resource, and how such barriers might beovercome. The group held its first meeting in April this year.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to remove road freight from the A9 and on to rail.
Answer
My freight grants team are currentlyin dialogue with a number of companies who are in the early stages of developingprojects for the transfer of freight from the A9 to rail. We are hopeful that thesewill come to fruition, as firm grant applications, though ultimately this will dependon commercial decisions by the companies concerned. An award of Freight FacilitiesGrant of £2.3 million was made to Inverness Harbour Trust earlier this year which,although not transferring freight to rail, will remove freight from the A9.
Freight grant funded projectshave removed over 80 million lorry miles from Scotland’s roads, including overfive million lorry miles from the A9 corridor over the last eight years.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 19 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government in relation to the decision to amalgamate the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the Black Watch, the Highlanders, the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, the Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Royal Scots into the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Answer
No representations in relation to the decision to amalgamate Scottish Regimentshas been made to the UK Government by this administration. Representation was made to the UK Government by the previousScottish Executive but this did not prevent regiment amalgamations. The formationof the Royal Regiment of Scotland took place on 28 March 2006.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 18 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will return the Stone of Destiny to Scone Palace.
Answer
The location of the Stone ofDestiny is a matter solely for Her Majesty The Queen, as advised by the Commissionersfor the Safekeeping of the Regalia.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 17 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will protect and revitalise town centres in light of the growth of out-of-town supermarkets.
Answer
Scottish planningpolicy supports the protection and enhancement of town centres and indicates thatthey should be the first choice for new shopping developments. Other measures tobenefit town centres include our support for Business Improvement Districts pilots,the substantial funding we provide to local government to support a range of localservices including for housing and regeneration, and our commitment to remove orreduce the burden of business rates for small businesses, many of which are locatedin town centres throughout Scotland.
