We expect an announcement on the preferred bidder for the next Northern Isles ferry services contract to be made in April 2012.

The Heritage Education School Visits Travel Subsidy scheme was established in April 2010 and is administered by Historic Scotland. Information on how the scheme operates and the sites included is available at: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/education-travel-subsidy.

Information on the numbers of school groups, numbers of pupils and amount of travel subsidy awarded relating to visits to sites are set out in the following tables for 2010-11. Figures for financial year 2011-12 are not currently available.year 2011-12 are not currently available.

Note: *Based on the definition of “remote rural areas” - settlements of less than 3,000 people who are not within 30 minutes drive of a settlement of 10,000 or more people.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05962 on 7 March 2012. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The non-native species provisions within the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 have yet to be commenced and, consequently, no species control orders have been made. Once the provisions are commenced they would empower Scottish Natural Heritage to make a Species Control Order for the purpose of controlling invasive plants or animals. Where any operations required by the Order are not carried out, Scottish Natural Heritage would have the power to carry out the required operations and suitable powers of entry are provided in the legislation.

We have previously made clear to the European Commission details of the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) pilot to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree. The European Commission noted our position and did not raise objections or ask for any further clarification. Consequently, it is considered that there is no further need for contact with the European Commission on this issue.

The beaver is a former native species which, in Scotland, is now out of its native range.

Beavers can have negative, as well as positive, impacts on the environment and their unlicensed release is currently an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and will remain an offence once the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 is fully commenced.

An announcement will be made shortly.

Scottish Water International Business Development makes its own judgements on the suitability of visiting and operating in particular countries and does so with reference to the published advice available from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office concerning the advisability of travel to each country and other published advice of the UK and Scottish Governments concerning business links with each country.

The start up costs of Scottish Water's international activities are funded from the retained profits of other commercial activities of Scottish Water. All the income generated and costs incurred in Scottish Water's international activities will be consolidated in Scottish Water’s annual accounts which are laid before the Scottish Parliament each year.

The governance framework the Scottish Government has put in place with Scottish Water requires the organisation to produce an annual business plan that sets out the overarching business strategy for Scottish Water and its subsidiaries including how it shall exercise its non-core functions through its subsidiaries or otherwise. The governance framework can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/917/0063038.pdf.

Scottish Water’s Business Plan for 2012-13 is expected to be received shortly.