- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 27 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the operation of departmental expenditure limits in respect of European Union funding.
Answer
Provision for expenditure related to EU funding channelled through or claimed direct by the Scottish Administration is included in Scotland's Assigned Budget. Common Agricultural Policy-related expenditure is classified as Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) and the level of provision can therefore be adjusted annually and in-year to reflect the actual level of payments. All other expenditure related to EU funding channelled through or claimed direct by the Scottish Administration falls within Scotland's Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL).
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 27 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about whether the current days-at-sea restrictions and quota allocations will remain in place until the end of 2003 or whether they will be replaced by a different regime on 1 July 2003, as originally agreed by Her Majesty's Government and the European Union.
Answer
The provisions made under Council Regulation (EC) No. 2341/2002 will remain in force until 31 December 2003 unless amended or replaced by other measures. We await proposals from the Commission both on amendments to Annex XVII of the Regulation (days at sea controls) and on a longer term plan for cod recovery.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 27 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any new or existing European funds, previously unallocated or applied for, to help fishing communities and, if so, what progress is being made with any application for such funds and whether it will give details, including the outcome, of any relevant discussions with Her Majesty's Government.
Answer
We are aware of no such funds. The Commission has proposed an additional 32 million euros across the Community for an emergency scrapping fund, but this has not been approved by the Council and the European Parliament.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 27 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government to take the necessary steps to enable the allocation of the ?150 million additional European Union money referred to in the resolution of 10 March 2003 in the European Parliament on the white fish sector.
Answer
No such additional funds exist. The Commission's proposal is for an additional €32 million across the Community for an emergency scrapping fund, but this has not been approved by the Council and the European Parliament.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of track record has been allocated to former fishing vessels whose owners surrendered their fishing licences under the 2001 decommissioning scheme and how much this track record is currently worth on the open market.
Answer
At the end of the 2001 decommissioning scheme, 98 vessels had been decommissioned and the licences associated with these vessels contained 317,151 FQA units.The department does not maintain records of the value of FQA units.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 26 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what European funding programmes are available to organisations in Scotland.
Answer
There are four Structural Funds available in Scotland:The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) primarily supports productive investment, infrastructure and SME development. The Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF-Guidance section) supports measures for the adjustment of agricultural structures and rural development. The European Social Fund (ESF) supports measures to promote employment (education systems, vocational training and recruitment aids). The Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) supports measures for the adjustment of structures in this sector, and the "accompanying measures" of the common fisheries policy. These are made available through geographically defined programmes - the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme, the three Objective 2 programmes (East, West and South of Scotland) and Objective 3 which supports training activities outwith the Highlands and Islands area.In addition to these there are four community initiatives, which are worth around 5% of the 2000-06 Structural Fund budget and are pilot projects/test beds for activity which, if effective is then mainstreamed into the larger funds:Interreg III: Cross-border, transnational and interregional co-operation.Urban II: Regeneration of urban areas in crisis. (Port Glasgow and Clydebank South)LEADER+ : Rural development through innovative local projects.EQUAL : Combating discrimination and inequalities in connection with the labour market.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of how much funding would be required to purchase all track record and entitlement currently allocated to vessels known to have been decommissioned and, if so, how much it estimates this figure to be.
Answer
The department does not maintain records of the value of FQA units. Consequently, no assessment has been made.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 26 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of available sources of funding from European institutions and how many staff are engaged to ensure adequate take-up of such funding by organisations in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive, in partnership with other bodies such as the Programme Management Executives, the enterprise networks, local authorities and voluntary organisations, seeks to take full advantage of the various sources of funding from European institutions, as set out in the answer given to question S1W-34834 today. All these stakeholders are actively engaged in ensuring funding streams are fully utilised and work co-operatively to achieve this end. 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/search_wa.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 26 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce training to raise awareness of the availability and purpose of different European Union grants and to provide assistance in the preparation of such grant applications.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has encouraged the five Programme Management Executives (PMEs) (who implement the programmes on the ground on behalf of the Scottish Executive) to pursue actively a range of activities to raise awareness of the availability of European Structural Funds programmes, including:the provision of websites and the circulation to all partner organisations of programme bulletins providing up to date information on funds available and forthcoming application rounds; facilitation of fast-track applications, rolling programmes and additional application rounds where appropriate; delivery of regular application advice surgeries and workshops across the country;engaging with target communities to stimulate applications for community economic development support; analysis of underlying reasons for slow uptake in particular measures or areas, andefforts to promote private sector interest in the funds.The Scottish Executive is in the process of implementing a new web-based application and claim form system, which will streamline the process for applicants. The new application forms have been developed and are being phased in according to the timetables of the application rounds run by each PME. PMEs will introduce the new forms and processes to applicant organisations and provide training and support to assist them in preparing grant applications.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 26 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it had with Shell UK prior to the company's announcement of 350 job losses.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Shell about a wide range of matters, and was aware that the company was considering changes to its offshore operations. The restructuring decision was one for the company itself to take.
