- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3727 by Stewart Stevenson on the 13 September 2007, whether it will list the ferry routes to be considered by the consultants undertaking the study into the benefits of applying a road equivalent tariff to the fares on ferry routes under the (a) first and (b) third phases of the study.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-5199 on 25 October 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.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4458 by Fiona Hyslop on 1 October 2007, how it intends to ensure that the science and engineering departments of Scottish universities remain competitive with universities in England if the cap on tuition fees is lifted.
Answer
We believe that thereis currently broad parity between funding for Scottish universities and for thoseelsewhere in the UK. Any review of the cap in England will of course be important to Scottish highereducation institutions and the Scottish Government. We will take an active interestin the review due in 2009 and act to retain competitiveness across all subject disciplines.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take account of the potential removal of the cap on tuition fees for English universities when considering the funding settlement for Scottish universities in the comprehensive spending review.
Answer
There is no clearindication yet of what the UK Government’s intentions are in relation to the feecap. While the timescale for any change is also still unclear, it is unlikely toimpact before our consideration of the next spending review in 2009.
We believe that thereis currently broad parity between Scottish universities and those elsewhere in theUK in terms of funding even with the current introductionof variable fees in the rest of the UK.
Any review of thecap in England will of course be important to Scottishhigher education institutions and the Scottish Government and we will take an activeinterest in the review.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4458 by Fiona Hyslop on 1 October 2007, how it intends to ensure that the needs of science are fully taken account of in the comprehensive spending review.
Answer
Decision-making inthe Spending Review is informed by the Scottish Government’s on-going dialogue witha wide range of stakeholders in the science base. This is supplemented by submissionsfrom the Scottish Funding Council and other partner bodies and by further consultation,including with Whitehall Departments and the Research Councils. In making theirallocations in the Spending Review, ministers will be considering how science-relatedbudgets can help to deliver across all of the Scottish Government’s objectives andhow these budgets can work together optimally on priority areas for science investment.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 24 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment will reply to my letter of 30 May 2007 regarding single farm payments, acknowledged by its correspondence unit on 4 June, reference 2007/0019209.
Answer
I refer MrMcArthur to my letter dated 4 October 2007.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 24 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings (a) ministers and (b) officials have had with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) since 4 May 2007 to discuss the implications for single farm payments of SNH management agreements and what decisions were reached as a result of such meetings.
Answer
There have beenno meetings between Scottish ministers and Scottish Natural Heritage since 4May 2007 regarding the implications for single farm payments of SNH management agreements. SNH have had anumber of conversations with my officials about this difficult issue, and haverecently written to them about it. I will take advice on this shortly with aview to reaching a final conclusion.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 3 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what linkages operate between local enterprise companies and VisitScotland.
Answer
The enterprisenetworks have many linkages with VisitScotland. These include close working on thepart of their tourism industry teams, together with a range of local contacts atlocal enterprise company (LEC) level. These linkages should be strengthened followingreform of the enterprise networks, including through the formation of a StrategicForum at which ministers intend to engage with and give direction to the chairsand chief executives of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland. Following our reform and removalof LEC structures, staff in the local offices of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise will continue to have a rangeof contacts with VisitScotland colleagues.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on developing a science strategy.
Answer
I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-4458 on 1 October 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, 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
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish its science strategy.
Answer
I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-4458 on 1 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to help meet the future demand for science graduates identified in its Skills Strategy.
Answer
The Government’sSkills Strategy does identify that the demand for scientists in the futurelooks positive and the total employment for science occupations is projected togrow at a faster rate to 2014 than that expected for non-science occupations.
Our approach totaking this forward will be set out in our Science Strategy. For furtherdetails, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-4458 on 1 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
