The priorities for distribution in Scotland by the Big Lottery Fund are set by Scottish ministers in policy directions made with the consent of the Secretary of State. The current directions, December 2006, identify promotion of community land ownership as one of the priorities to which Scottish devolved expenditure should be distributed.

There is no statutory clawback requirement on the disposal of Scottish Ministers' crofting estates to community organisations. The Scottish Public Finance Manual offers guidance on the considerations to be taken into account when Ministers exercise their discretion to dispose of such land. Details may be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/spfm/disposalassetsannex.

We estimate Harris Tweed production capacity is 1.2 million metres (single width equivalent). A Harris Tweed Industry Liaison Group has recently been established to encourage producers, weavers, local government and government agencies work together to drive the industry forward. This group plans to research Harris Tweed weaver and loom numbers. The aim is to ensure production capacity is adequate encompassing weavers, training, looms and loomsheds.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Harris Tweed to the economy of the Outer Hebrides. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and HIE Innse Gall, have worked with the Harris Tweed industry over a considerable period of time to support its development, and will continue to do so.

HIE Innse Gall provides a range of support, including working with self-employed weavers on weaver training and assistance with capital costs of buildings and equipment.

HIE Innse Gall has approved financial assistance towards the establishment of two Harris Tweed production facilities on Lewis including an element aimed at encouraging product promotion and marketing activity.

In addition, a Harris Tweed Industry Liaison Group was established in February 2008. This will seek to identify a range of issues and actions for the promotion, marketing and development of the sector.

The St Kilda World Heritage Site is owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). The Management Plan for the St Kilda WHS (World Heritage Site) includes a contingency plan for this type of emergency and NTS sent staff to the island to initiate a programme to find and eliminate any rats which may have escaped from the Spinningdale. They remained on the islands for three days but detected no trace of rats. I understand that remains the position as the MoD staff resident on St Kilda are maintaining a watch for evidence of rats. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) continues to monitor the situation closely.

A derogation to claimforage against land below the mean high water spring tide level exists for the island of North Ronaldsay. This is the onlyarea within Orkney and Shetland that is permitted to claim within the inter-tidalzone. The derogation was granted due to the unique foraging abilities of the nativeNorth Ronaldsay sheep, a breed that has genetically evolved over many centuriesto the point where they now survive almost entirely on seaweed.

The Scottish Governmenthas not made any representations to the UK Government concerning the sovereigntyof Rockall nor its 12nm territorial sea, both of which constitute recognised partsof Scotland.

The Scottish Government has made representations to the UK Governmentconcerning the conduct of negotiations with neighbouring coastal States over theagreement of boundaries to the UK’s claim foran Exclusive Economic Zone including the area extending 200nm from the St Kildabaseline to seas beyond Rockall and its adjacent sea area. Following these representations,the negotiating aims and conduct, including the participation of the Scottish Government,have been agreed with the Foreign andCommonwealth Office.

With regard to energyissues, while again we have not made any specific representations regarding Rockall,we have made clear, as part of the national conversation, that we would wish toundertake discussions with the UK Governmentregarding options for the transfer of responsibility of oil and gas resources tothe Scottish Government in the long-term.

I am encouraged by the progressthat has been made in recent times and there is a growing confidence that the NHSWestern Isles Health Board will achieve in-year financial balance for 2007-08.

Once this key priority of in-yearbalance is delivered and sustained the issue of the cumulative deficit will be broughtinto focus. In principle it is important that debts are cleared in the places theyarise.

The general approach in theserare situations is to provide brokerage and ensure repayment over time. However,this will be fully considered in due course.

For a definition of both eligibleforage areas and sea-girt land I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-6695on 29 November 2007. So far as we are aware there are no differences in thetreatment of sea-girt land as between Western Isles and Orkney and Shetland forthe purposes of consideration under the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.