- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 19 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has held any meetings with VisitScotland to discuss a Scottish Olympic tourism strategy.
Answer
My officials holdregular meetings with VisitScotland about our ambition for the long-termdevelopment of Scotland’s tourism sector, including the opportunitiesrepresented by the 2012 London Olympic Game. Scotland intends to maximise the potential tourism benefits from the 2012 LondonOlympic Games. Our strategy is to work closely with the UK Government tomaximise the tourism benefits to Scotland from theGames, and Scottish representatives meet regularly with others from the rest of the UK on a number of working groups relating tothe games, including one on tourism.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 19 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has developed, or intends to develop, a Scottish Olympic tourism strategy.
Answer
Our tourismstrategy is based on an ambition to grow tourism revenues by 50% in the decadeto 2015. We will use every opportunity, including the year of Homecomingproject in 2009, the 2012 London Olympic Games, and the Ryder Cup in 2014, toattain that ambition. There is a real opportunity for Scotland’s appeal as atourism destination to be used to attract visitors to the UK attending the 2012London Olympic Games to extend their stay by visiting Scotland.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 18 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers have held, or intend to hold, meetings with the UK Government to discuss the impact of the London 2012 Olympic Games on Scotland.
Answer
Scottishministers are in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues,including the impact of the London2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games on Scotland.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings have taken place with the UK Government’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since May 2007 regarding the further devolution of nature conservation duties beyond 12 nautical miles.
Answer
There is regulardialogue between the Scottish Government and the UK Government’s Department ofEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs in relation to marine issues. The ScottishGovernment are considering the Departmentfor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ proposals for a UK Marine Bill and officials areactively discussing the issues, including the potential for furtherdevolution.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy is that the Parliament should assume greater powers over nature conservation beyond 12 nautical miles and whether the devolution of further powers should be contingent on receiving specific funding from the UK Government to carry out these duties.
Answer
I previouslyindicated to the Parliament my support for the Advisory Group on Marine andCoastal Strategy recommendation on extending the Parliament’s powers over themarine environment. Additionally,
Choosing Scotland’s Future – A NationalConversation, published in August, notes that acquisition by the Scottish Parliament of responsibility for planning and nature conservation in the marinearea between 12 to 200 nautical miles would make possible a coherent approachto the management of the seas around Scotland.
I am currentlyconsidering the Departmentfor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) proposals for a UK Marine Bill, and theimplications for Scotland. Officials are also actively discussing the proposalswith Defra, including thepotential for further devolution of powers in the marine environment and theterms on which that could be achieved.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive which ferry routes were considered for the pilot study into the application of road equivalent tariff (RET) to ferry routes before it decided to limit the choice of its consultants undertaking the study into the benefits of RET to one or more of the routes connecting the Scottish mainland and the Western Isles.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3672 on 13 September 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: Monday, 27 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions were held with (a) Orkney Islands Council, (b) Shetland Islands Council, (c) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, (d) Argyll and Bute Council and (e) Highland Council before it decided on the terms for the appointment of the consultants undertaking the study into the benefits of road equivalent tariff and, in particular, before it decided to limit the consultants’ choice of routes for consideration for inclusion in the pilot study to one or more of the routes connecting the Scottish mainland and the Western Isles and how each council responded to the proposals put to them.
Answer
I refer the memberto the question S3W-3672 on 13 September 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the searchfacility 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: Monday, 27 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used when deciding to limit the consultants’ choice of routes for consideration under the road equivalent tariff pilot study to one or more of the routes connecting the Scottish mainland and the Western Isles and how these criteria were applied to each of the public ferry routes to and between islands.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentcame into office with a manifesto commitment saying that we would “commission astudy into road equivalent tariff (RET) reporting on options for improved connectionsto our northern and western isles” and that “as part of this we will undertake apilot project on RET to the Western Isles”. That is precisely what we are now doing.
In taking forwardthis commitment we have engaged consultants to carry out the study including themonitoring and evaluation of the pilot. The consultants have been asked to liaisewith a range of stakeholders during the study including local authorities and regionaltransport partnerships. When appropriate, the Scottish Government will be involvedin these discussions.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions were held with (a) Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership and (b) Zetland Transport Partnership before it decided on the terms for the appointment of the consultants undertaking the study into the benefits of road equivalent tariff and, in particular, before it decided to limit the consultants’ choice of routes for consideration for inclusion in the pilot study to one or more of the routes connecting the Scottish mainland and the Western Isles and how each regional transport partnership responded to the proposals put to them.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3672 on 13 September 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, 27 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 21 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that Highlands and Islands Enterprise should continue to operate a different, more broad-based model for economic development in its region than that operated by Scottish Enterprise.
Answer
Consideration of thereform and refocus the Enterprise Networks is now underway and this will take intoaccount the particular economic, geographical and social circumstances within theHighlands and Islands area.
