- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether steps have been taken by the Scottish Tourist Board to promote Scotland as a holiday destination in the Highland Games events which take place in Canada and the United States of America and whether the Scottish Tourist Board has advertised or intends to advertise in the "Highlander " maga'ine.
Answer
This is an operational matter for the Scottish Tourist Board. I will ask the Chairman to write to you and I will arrange for a copy of his reply to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an estimate of the annual revenue from tourism in Scotland in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999.
Answer
Tourism spend in Scotland in 1997 was estimated to be £2.6 billion, a record sum, and in 1998 to be £2.5 billion, both at today's prices. The Scottish Tourist Board is forecasting modest growth for the industry in 1999.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive for details of the marketing budget in each of the area Tourist Boards in Scotland for each of the last three financial years and the estimated budgets for the next three financial years.
Answer
Area Tourist Boards are independent local partnership organisations. The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any independent assessment of the impact of the Ossian project and, if so, whether it will place the results of the assessment in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre
Answer
Project Ossian is not yet fully on stream and the impact will not be felt until next year. The Scottish Tourist Board believe that the introduction of Ossian will make the industry more competitive.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will request that the Scottish Tourist Board introduce a marketing campaign to promote Scotland as an autumn holiday destination in order to boost the tourist industry in Scotland this year.
Answer
The STB in partnership with the industry has since 1995 undertaken a campaign focused on generating additional business in the October and November period. This is estimated to have generated an additional £5 million spend in 1998. Plans for a 1999 campaign are well advanced.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 26 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide an estimate of the number of residential properties held under long leasehold tenure in Scotland, and whether it intends to introduce interim law reforms to provide security of tenure to tenants under such leases where those leases are close to expiry.
Answer
I refer Mr Ewing to the reply I gave on 19 July to question S1W-00275. We have no plans for interim measures.To provide an estimate of the number of residential properties held under long leasehold tenure in Scotland would require considerable research in the Register of Sasines and the Land Register. We do not think this necessary at present, as any review by the Commission will concern the same principles, no matter how many properties are affected.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the system of house purchase and sale in Scotland and, if so, in what respects and with what objectives.
Answer
The housing Green Paper noted that the Scottish system of house purchase has a number of strengths, but recognised concerns that the system can lead to multiple surveys and valuations being commissioned on the same property with considerable abortive costs for unsuccessful bidders. We are currently considering the responses to the Green Paper before making decisions on the way forward.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to recommend to the Scottish Law Commission that it incorporates the issue of long leases of residential property into its seventh programme of law reform.
Answer
I refer Mr Ewing to the reply I gave on 19 July 1999 to his question S1W-00275.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 21 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish a rent deposit fund to provide low-income families and individuals with access to loans to pay deposits for privately rented accommodation.
Answer
In its Partnership for Scotland, the Scottish Executive made a commitment to encourage rent deposit schemes. Local authorities already have powers to give rent guarantees or indemnities, or if required payments, to private sector landlords where this is necessary to secure the grant of a tenancy. We believe that such schemes have a valuable part to play in promoting housing opportunities for households on low incomes.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 21 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it has sought and what response it has received from Lloyds TSB regarding the continued presence of Scottish Widows headquarters in Scotland and the continued employment in Scotland of all Scottish Widows employees.
Answer
The First Minister and I met with Scottish Widows to discuss the proposed deal with Lloyds TSB. It is a matter of public record that both Lloyds TSB and Scottish Widows, through their press releases, gave assurances that their combined workforce in Scotland of more than 6,000 will be maintained should the deal between the 2 companies be completed. They have also made clear their expectation that further employment would be created in Scotland over time.
