All funding under the scheme has been allocated to projects. The response to S3W-28206 on 4 November 2009, outlines the payments that have been issued to projects. The answers to all written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

We are holding discussions with developers of the outstanding Wave and Tidal Energy Support (WATES) projects regarding progress being made on their projects, to ensure that they are able to claim allocated funds by March 2011. If the developers are unable to provide evidence that they can do so by this deadline, the WATES offer will be withdrawn and the funds recycled into future support for the sector, to be announced as part of our current budget considerations.

All payments made to companies under the Wave and Tidal Energy Support (WATES) Scheme are made retrospectively based on legitimate evidence that eligible costs have been incurred. The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that WATES grants allocations are transferred to WATES project developers by March 2011. We are in discussions with all outstanding WATES developers regarding progress being made on their projects, in order to ensure that they remain active and that the deadlines for project completion and grant spend will be met.

If the developers are unable to provide evidence that they can do so by the March 2011 deadline, the WATES offer will be withdrawn and the funds recycled into future support for the sector, to be announced as part of our current budget considerations.

Further to the answer to question S3W-27342 on 2 October 2009, only part of the information requested is available. Although each company monitors the overall weight of freight vehicles and trailers for loading and space allocation purposes, this data is not retained for record keeping purposes. However, deck space data is available showing the lane meterage used by commercial vehicles on the Gourock-Dunoon route (as currently operated by Cowal Ferries Ltd), on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network (as currently operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd) and on the Northern Isles ferry network (as currently operated by NorthLink Ferries Ltd). Please note that we do not hold comparable data for the Northern Isles prior to 2003.

The carrying statistics are available from the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre (Bib. number 49477).

The latest Gross Domestic Product deflators issued by Her Majesty''s Treasury shows 2008-09 as base year, 2009-10 as 1% and 2010-11 as 1.5%.

The right hand column of the table below shows the effect of applying these deflators to the Highlands and Islands Enterprise budget. The baseline is the financial year 2007-08.

	Cash Budget £ Million	Cash Terms Reduction Against 2007-08	Real Terms Reduction Against 2007-08
2007-08	89	-	-
2008-09	77.8	£11.2 million	£11.2 million
2009-10	74.8	£3 million	£3.03 million
2010-11	74.3	£0.5 million	£0.507 million

 

The reform of Highlands and Islands Enterprise has developed a sharper focus on its key role of supporting sustainable economic growth while continuing to support fragile rural communities. This has led to many success stories not least attracting Welcon Towers to Machrihanish to save and develop the wind tower manufacturing facility.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise should not be viewed in isolation however, as it is only one arm of the very significant package of funding we have in place to support and stimulate economic growth in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Skills Development Scotland, the newly established business gateway for the area, the Road Equivalent Tariff Scheme and the Town Centre Regeneration Fund together bring a funding investment of £26.7 million this year, in addition to that allocated to Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Businesses in the area also benefit from a range of non-domestic rates relief including the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which alone amounts to an estimated £14.4 million in 2009-10, Rural Rate Relief and Empty Property Relief.

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I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26758 on 22 September 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The quantity of freight carried on a route-by-route basis is not available.

CalMac Ferries and Cowal Ferries record the number of commercial vehicles carried and the tariff is based on a lane metre charge, i.e. on the amount of deck space taken up by the vehicle on the ferry. NorthLink Ferries also charge on a lane metre basis for the transport of commercial vehicles and drop-trailers.

While all three companies monitor the overall weight of the vehicles/trailers carried for loading and space allocation purposes, the companies do not require their customers to produce a manifest of the type or quantity of freight being carried (although dangerous goods do need to be notified to the operators before shipment).

The Scottish Government is content to ask the Scottish Agriculture College to provide this information, and has indeed already done so. The information shall be shared with you when it is available.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1001-01.htm

The carrying statistics are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The Bib. numbers are as follows:

Northern Isles carrying statistics - 49274

Clyde and Hebrides carrying statistics - 49275

Gourock to Dunoon carrying statistics “ 49276.