- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 28 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare: What it Means for You will have on the delivery of the management of patients with complicated problems at the Balfour Hospital, detailing how the new arrangements will differ from those currently provided.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12979 on 27 May 2008. 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.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 28 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare: What it Means for You will have on the delivery of the management of long-term conditions at the Balfour Hospital, detailing how the new arrangements will differ from those currently provided.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12979 on 27 May 2008. 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.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 27 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the work programme will be for each of the regional proposal assessment committees set up to assess applications to the Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities section of the Scottish Rural Development Plan, including the dates of meetings for consideration of applications and submission of recommendations to Scottish Ministers.
Answer
The 11 Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) will meet up to three times a year to assess applications submitted under the Rural Development Contracts “ Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Committee.
The specific dates for the assessment meetings will be chosen by the RPACs themselves. However, we intend to consult stakeholders on the most appropriate timing for the first round of RPAC meetings, following the launch of the second stage of the application process scheduled for early July this year. The recommendations of the RPACs will be submitted to me for consideration as soon as possible following the completion of the first round of meetings.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 27 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare: What it Means for You will have on the delivery of outpatient, day case, inpatient and rehabilitation services at the Balfour Hospital, detailing how the new arrangements will differ from those currently provided.
Answer
Delivering for Remote and Rural Health care: What it Means for You will impact on all rural general hospitals, including Balfour General Hospital, by improving local access to a range of emergency, diagnostic and planned treatment services.
NHS boards are responsible for planning and delivering services to meet the health care needs of their resident populations. Work is on-going to implement the recommendations contained within the report and boards are expected to deliver these objectives in accordance with Chief Executives Letter 23/2008 circulated on 13 May 2008.
Further details may be found in the full report of the Remote and Rural Steering Group and in particular the technical annexes (online only) which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45640).
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 22 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any preliminary assessment of the annual cost, in addition to current subsidies to Caledonian MacBrayne and NorthLink Ferries, of applying road equivalent tariff rates to the fares on all Scottish internal ferry routes and, if so, what the results were.
Answer
The consultants undertaking the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) study have undertaken an initial assessment of the annual reduction in fares revenue with the application of RET rates. This initial assessment has been carried out on all ferry services subsidised by the Scottish Government and is based on no change in travel demand. This change in revenue represents a consequential increase in subsidies additional to current subsidies. The following table sets out the reduction in fares revenue by area. The consultants final report, a copy of which will be sent to you shortly, provides a breakdown by route.
Area | Change in Revenue £ Million |
Western Isles | -£7.65 |
Orkney | -£2.60 |
Shetland | -£0.18 |
Firth of Clyde | -£7.23 |
Inner Hebrides | -£4.19 |
Skye | -£0.65 |
Southern Hebrides | -£2.16 |
Total | -£24.64 |
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the overall budget for the Marine Energy Collaboration Fund is and how much money has been spent under the fund in each year since establishment.
Answer
There has been no precise limit on the fund. Instead, the sums allocated have been limited by the number of applications, as well as the limits imposed by the wider Scottish Enterprise energy team budget for each year. Around £250,000 has been awarded since the fund''s launch in June 2007.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the Marine Energy Collaboration Fund and whether it is considering a review of the fund and, if so, what form such a review will take.
Answer
A full evaluation has not yet been conducted, as two projects are still in progress and one completed just last month. Signs to date indicate that the funding has been a reasonable success in supporting the marine sector and encouraging collaboration across sectors but more evidence is needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
A review will take place later this year, the findings of which will inform the fund''s future.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive who has responsibility for administering the Marine Energy Collaboration Fund; what its purpose is, and what criteria have been set for applications to the fund.
Answer
Responsibility for administering the Marine Energy Collaboration Fund rests with the Scottish Enterprise energy team. Its purpose is to encourage and incentivise the collaboration of marine renewable developers with, for example, oil and gas engineering companies, and to access advice to address specific technical issues which will reduce costs and/or increase efficiency and performance.
Funding is a non-refundable grant contribution up to 50% of eligible costs for small and medium-sized enterprises, at a maximum of £100,000 per project. The fund has been allocated on a competitive basis, with applications assessed against the following criteria “ potential economic development impact, additionality, technical advancement and a thorough appraisal of the applicant.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive which projects have received funding from the Marine Energy Collaboration Fund and for what purpose.
Answer
Since the fund''s initial launch by Scottish Enterprise in June 2007, funding support worth £250,000 has been committed to the following four projects:
Scotrenewables (Orkney)
AWS (Alness)
Green Cat Energy (Lanarkshire)
Subsea Energy Scotland (Fife)
The fund''s purpose is to incentivise the collaboration of marine renewable developers with, for example, oil and gas engineering companies, and to access advice to address specific technical issues which will reduce costs and/or increase efficiency and performance.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2008
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts have been made to raise awareness in the marine renewables sector and elsewhere of the existence of the Marine Energy Collaboration Fund.
Answer
The fund was promoted initially through mail-shot activities to companies known to Scottish Enterprise, and through industry bodies such as Scottish Renewables, the Industrial and Power Association and Subsea UK. The fund has also been announced at various industry events.