- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 12 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received from Scottish Natural Heritage and other statutory advisers on the risks and benefits of undertaking a pilot translocation scheme to remove sparrowhawks from the vicinity of pigeon lofts and whether it will publish any such advice.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage have been involved in discussions about this research project and their comments are reflected in the Project Protocol. The Project Protocol has been made available to RSPB and the Raptor Study Groups and will be available on the Scottish Government website.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 12 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from (a) MSPs, (b) pigeon owners and (c) other interested parties in relation to undertaking a pilot translocation scheme for removing sparrowhawks from the vicinity of pigeon lofts.
Answer
The Scottish Government has received representations in favour of a sparrowhawk translocation scheme from Alex Neil MSP and from the Scottish Homing Union. We have discussed the scheme with the RSPB, the Scottish Raptor Study Groups and the Scottish Society for the Protection of Animals. These three groups have expressed their opposition to the scheme.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes to the staffing of the Kirkwall office of VisitOrkney will result from the reorganisation of VisitScotland.
Answer
This is an operational matter for VisitScotland and I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you on this matter.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the organisational structure will be of the new VisitScotland region into which VisitOrkney will be absorbed under the reorganisation of VisitScotland.
Answer
This is an operational matter for VisitScotland and I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you on this matter.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the staffing will be of the new VisitScotland region into which VisitOrkney will be absorbed under the reorganisation of VisitScotland, outlining where each of the staff will be based.
Answer
This is an operational matter for VisitScotland and I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you on this matter.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the roles of the local Offices will be in the new VisitScotland region into which VisitOrkney will be absorbed under the reorganisation of VisitScotland, outlining the work carried out in each local office.
Answer
This is an operational matter for VisitScotland and I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you on this matter.
- 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 Richard Lochhead on 4 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to ensure that any barriers to the development of anaerobic digestion projects are identified so that plans can be made to overcome them.
Answer
The Scottish Government is keen to encourage the development of anaerobic digestion projects in Scotland. Any barriers would vary depending in particular on the size and location of the plant and the nature of the feedstock. However, anaerobic digestion is one of the processes on which the Scottish Government has engaged the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to provide advice on potential obstacles and how these may be overcome.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 4 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes to the role of the Kirkwall office of VisitOrkney will result from the reorganisation of VisitScotland.
Answer
This is an operational matter for VisitScotland and I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you on this matter.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 19 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial savings are expected to result from the reorganisation of VisitScotland.
Answer
VisitScotland has estimated that savings within the range £1.2 million to £1.6 million each year will be delivered from the current internal reorganisation of its structure.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 5 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5432 by Jim Mather on 1 November 2007, whether it is able to give more specific dates for the completion of planned upgrades to the telephone exchanges on (a) Eday and (b) Stronsay, due to take place during the first quarter of 2008.
Answer
We are working withBT to deliver the upgrades to Eday and Stronsay exchanges in March 2008. Any updatesto dates for our upgrade programme of Exchange Activate exchanges will be announcedon our website at
www.broadbandforscotland.co.uk.
