Chamber and committees

From 2000 to 2006, funding for diversification was provided by the Agricultural and Farm Business Development Schemes (ABDS/FBDS). The information you have requested is not held or readily available specifically for the Kilmarnock and Loudoun area, but a total of 39 FBDS projects were approved in the East Ayrshire local authority area during that period. This resulted in funding of £625,764 being awarded, levering total eligible investment of £1.655million. Across Scotland as a whole, 1,150 projects were approved, with funding awarded of £21.95 million.

The following is the original answer (published on 11 June 2008); see below.

From 2000 to 2006, funding for diversification was provided by the Agricultural and Farm Business Development Schemes (ABDS/FBDS). The information you have requested is not held or readily available specifically for the Kilmarnock and Louden area, but a total of 27 projects were approved in the North Ayrshire local authority area during that period, resulting in funding of £487,877 being awarded. Across Scotland as a whole, 1,150 projects were approved, with funding awarded of £21.95 million.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with retailers and others to reduce the number of single use carrier bags. To that end, I have established a working group with retailers to consider various options to cut bag use on a voluntary basis. If voluntary measures should not work, the Scottish Government would consider legislation to reduce bag use.

The importance of the whisky/spirits industry to the Scottish and UK economies should not be underestimated. Scottish Government ministers share the concerns of the spirits industry and have written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer condemning the recent changes in alcohol duty as not only damaging to Scotland and the UK economy but also a potential blow to international competitiveness of the industry at a time when it has been investing significantly to meet global demand. This is particularly the case with the Scotch whisky industry and the premium products it makes.

Cross-border rail services are the responsibility of the Department for Transport. It is already in the commercial interests of the train operating companies to maximise revenue and, accordingly, we have no plans to seek a reduction in the costs of tickets on cross-border services operating below capacity.

As part of its “Leading by Example” programme the Scottish Government is looking to all parts of the public sector to play an exemplary role in pioneering new greener behaviour, including the generation of renewable energy.

The Scottish Futures Trust will introduce innovative and more efficient ways of delivering and funding public infrastructure, and will encourage specifications which ensure that new public buildings are also green public buildings.

Changes to the Energy Standards of Scottish Building Regulations and SPP6: Planning Guidance encourage the use of renewable energy technologies in new public buildings to meet improved carbon emissions levels.

We are also promoting uptake by the public sector under the UK Government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme which complements the increased funding under our own renewables grants programme for community projects.

We are introducing dedicated schools development officers to support the deployment of renewable technologies in Scotland’s schools.

We have also recently widened the Central Energy Efficiency Fund to allow public bodies to invest in renewables as well as energy efficiency.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13639 on 9 June 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13645 on 9 June 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.

The Scottish Government is a strong supporter of the traditional crafts sector in Scotland, which are an expanding part of Scotland’s successful creative industries.

The Scottish Arts Council is pursuing a range of initiatives to develop opportunities for the promotion of Scottish makers’ work.

I have asked the Scottish Arts Council to write to you directly to provide further information and detail on the work they are undertaking in relation to the crafts sector.

The recently launched Energy Saving Scotland advice network, funded by Scottish Government and managed by the Energy Saving Trust, provides advice and support to householders wishing to reduce their energy use and cut their fuel bills.

Smart meters and real time displays could also play a role and we work closely with the UK Government in this policy area. The UK Government is already undertaking a major UK-wide pilot to gain a good understanding of the costs and benefits of smart meters. This pilot includes Scottish consumers and we await the results of the pilot with keen interest.

I refer the member to the to answer to question S3W-13650 on 9 June 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.