Chamber and committees

We have always been clear that while road equivalent tariff RET would reduce some fares on services to the Northern Isles, it would significantly increase a number of fares. Therefore the commitment made in The Ferries Plan, published in December 2012, is to introduce RET to the Northern Isles over a longer timeframe, beyond the term of this Parliament.

In table 11.7 of the report referred to, where RET would have been higher than the existing fare, no increase was assumed. Additionally, the RET formula used in the report is out of date, and does not reflect the current RET formula or the current fare pricing situation on the Northern Isles ferry routes. An updated RET formula was applied in 2012 and showed that introducing RET would continue to increase a number of fares on Northern Isles services. Using the most up to date formula from this year does not change this position.

Consideration of how RET can be applied on the Northern Isles will be given during the course of this year, as part of the wider work required to review the RET formula. 

Scottish Ministers and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have received representations from Mr McArthur and one of his constituents. A final decision on the location of Wave Energy Scotland is one for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The Wave Energy Scotland (WES) inception team is currently based in Inverness. A decision on the permanent location – or locations – for WES in the Highlands and Islands has not yet been made. This is a matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-24831 on 25 March 2015. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

A small Wave Energy Scotland team will be located in the Highlands and Islands. The final decision on location is one for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

As indicated in the previous answer, there have been a number of discussions with European colleagues on this matter. The most recent meeting in the last four years was between former Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Michael Russell MSP, and Androulla Vassilliou, the then European Education Commissioner, on 26 April 2012.

The Scottish Funding Council’s Baseline Report for Academic Year 2013-14 explains that while there are different ways of measuring student numbers, full-time equivalent student numbers (FTEs) are the most accurate way of comparing the volume of college activity over time.

The trend in funded FTEs since 2009-10 is explained by colleges exceeding activity targets by a smaller margin than in previous years and, from 2011-12 onwards, the decision to focus school-college activity on pupils in the senior phase.

Colleges have exceeded our commitment to maintaining a minimum of 116,300 FTE places every year since its introduction.

Source: Scottish Funding Council

The following table shows that funding for college bursaries has increased by £26.2 million or nearly 47% since 2007-08. Bursary funding is only one element of the wider further education student support budget, which is at a record level of £104 million in 2014-15.

Source: Scottish Funding Council

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

Considerable discussion has taken place with EU representatives about the concept and application of management fees. As my predecessor, Michael Russell, made clear to the Scottish Parliament on 5 December 2013, introduction of such a policy would need to meet with complex EU requirements and is therefore difficult to implement.