- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sought advice on the legality of its decision to favour a select group of islands when introducing Road equivalent tariff fares on ferry routes and what the terms were of any such advice sought on the matter.
Answer
The Scottish Government has significant legal advice at its disposal. The Scottish Government does not normally publish the legal advice which it receives.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 19 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to match the plans of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ministers who, as part of their Water Strategy, will convene a high-level meeting of stakeholders from all the relevant sectors to discuss how to make best use of anaerobic digestion to contribute to climate change and wider environmental objectives in a way that is cost-effective and beneficial to the environment.
Answer
There are no current plans to do so in relation to Defra''s Water Strategy. However, the Scottish government is keen to encourage the development of anaerobic digestion projects in Scotland.
I would refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10453 on 12 March 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to support or encourage the development of new training courses for people wishing to set up small craft businesses, such as those producing jewellery, ceramics, furniture, textiles and glass.
Answer
The Scottish Government will continue to support the work of Skillsfast-UK, the sector skills council for the craft sector, in encouraging employers to utilise the business start-up training and training in business skills delivered by the business gateway in Scotland.
Skillsfast-UK is a key partner in the development of training courses for their sector, including business skills and the Scottish Government has reaffirmed their role in Scotland as stated in Skills for Scotland “ a lifelong skills strategy.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 14 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to ensure that Scottish venues included in the London 2012 Olympic Games training camp guide are able to maximise the opportunities that this presents.
Answer
We will be discussing very soon with sportscotland, and other relevant bodies such as VisitScotland and EventScotland, on how and when we can best engage with representatives from these venues to ensure they maximise the opportunities that being included in the LOCOG Guide will bring. We will be in touch with the venues soon after.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 14 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what role VisitScotland is envisaged to have in maximising the benefits to the Scottish venues included in the London 2012 Olympic Games training camp guide.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10759 on 14 March 2008. 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/wa.search. sty
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any assessment of the availability of training courses for people wishing to set up small craft businesses, such as those producing jewellery, ceramics, furniture, textiles and glass, and what the conclusion was of any such assessment.
Answer
Skillsfast-UK, the sector skills council for the craft sector, in partnership with the Scottish Government, has carried out research in the craft sector with a focus on the Highlands and Islands. Part of this research looked at the business start-up training and training in business skills delivered in Scotland by the business gateway.
The conclusion of this research was that there is still a need for generic business training within the craft sector. Skillsfast-UK will continue to work in partnership with the enterprise networks and other stakeholders to ensure that the supply of business training meets the demand from within the sector.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether fares for cars, passengers and 10-metre long commercial vehicles on each of the ferry services running to or within Orkney would increase or decrease and, if so, by how much if the fares were set using the road equivalent tariff fares proposed for ferries to the Western Isles from 18 October 2008.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10569 on 13 March 2008. 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/wa.search.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of its proposed road equivalent tariff fares on (a) ferries to the Western Isles and (b) the economies of each of the Scottish Islands served by ferries which will not to see a cut in their fares from October 2008 to spring 2011, and what the result of any such assessment is in respect of each island or island group.
Answer
The examination and assessment of the impact of introduction of the road equivalent tariff approach is the principal reason why we are carrying out a pilot. While the desk-based study has been very informative only a live pilot can determine what the impact of a road equivalent tariff scheme will be, not just on the pilot routes but elsewhere in the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles networks. That assessment will be comprehensive and consider usage and revenue impacts as well as economic and social impacts.
The pilot scheme will be closely monitored to capture all the information we need to take decisions on future fares levels across the entire Scottish ferry network.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for its proposed charging system for pedestrians on ferries to the Western Isles, which is to be based on the road equivalent tariff and which involves basing ferry fares on the cost of travelling an equivalent distance by road, but which would charge passengers £2.10 to travel one mile and £2.20 to travel two miles.
Answer
To establish a rate for passengers the consultants for the road equivalent tariff (RET) study considered passenger fares on comparable bus and train journeys in Scotland. In addition, they considered worldwide experience of RET. In provinces in Canada where RET is used, passenger fares are based on a percentage of the car rate. The consultants have suggested that a core rate of £2 plus 10p per mile represents a cost comparable to bus and rail travel and a fair percentage of the car rate.
Using a core rate maintains a link to the actual cost of providing and maintaining vessels and harbours. It is important that any scheme is affordable, not just for the pilot exercise but for any future roll-out.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for its proposed charging system for commercial vehicles on ferries to the Western Isles, which is to be based on the road equivalent tariff and which involves basing ferry fares on the cost of travelling an equivalent distance by road, but which would charge 10-metre long commercial vehicles £201.80 to travel one mile and £203.60 to travel two miles.
Answer
To establish a fair rate for commercial vehicles the consultants for the road equivalent tariff (RET) study considered Road Haulage Association and Freight Transport Association rates. The suggested rate reflects a cost of £1.80 per mile for a 10-metre vehicle which is broadly comparable with the data provided by those organisations.
The current fare structure for commercial vehicles on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service network is based on the length of the vehicle. It is clear that there is a strong correlation between the length and weight of the vehicle and the cost per mile of running that vehicle. The consultants recommended that the fare per mile for a commercial vehicle continues to reflect the length of the vehicle carried and also reflect the running cost of the vehicle. The new fare will therefore be a rate per metre per mile.
Using a core rate of £20 maintains a link to the actual cost of providing and maintaining vessels and harbours. It is important that any scheme is affordable, not just for the pilot exercise but for any future roll-out.
Consequently, the road equivalent tariff rate for a 10-metre commercial vehicle to travel one mile would be £21.80 and to travel two miles £23.60, not £201.80 and £203.60 as suggested in the member''s question.
The RET rate represents a significant saving for commercial vehicles using the pilot routes.
