Dr Winnie Ewing

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage organic farming in the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has taken a number of steps to encourage organic farming generally. These include significantly increased payment rates and hectarage limits for the Organic Aid Scheme; priority under the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department's Marketing a…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact mink are having on the flora and fauna of the Western Isles and the Western Highland seaboard and what steps are being taken to eliminate mink in these areas.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Feral mink are well established on Harris and Lewis and have also recently reached North Uist and Benbecula. Their most significant natural heritage impact affects ground nesting birds.<P>The Scottish Executive is supporting Scottish Natural Heritage's applic…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce crime in isolated rural communities.

Answer · Iain Gray: We are supporting a number of initiatives aimed at addressing crime and fear of crime in rural areas. Examples of some of the measures we are taking are: promoting, with ACPOS and CoSLA, our joint community safety strategy which encourages community safety pa…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many inward investment manufacturing jobs were lost in (a) Scotland, (b) Argyll and Bute, (c) the Highlands and Islands, (d) Moray, (e) Orkney, (f) Shetland and (g) the Western Isles in each of the last five years.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Records of manufacturing jobs created by inward investors which have been lost over a five-year period are not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.<P>The figures for parts (a) to (g) are presented in the table: <TABLE BORDER CELLS…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking in conjunction with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, local authorities and other agencies to attract new manufacturing and service industries to the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: Through its agency Locate in Scotland, the Scottish Executive promotes the whole of Scotland as a location for inward investment. Any attempt to steer companies to particular areas would almost certainly be counter-productive, resulting in the loss of project…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific support it will give to stimulate the rural economy of the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Executive declared its commitment to supporting rural economic development as a key priority with the publication in May 2000 of <I>Rural Scotland: A New Approach</I>. The particular opportunities and challenges facing rural Scotland were also fu…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the re-introduction of wolves into the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive has no plans to re-introduce wolves into Scotland.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the per capita income in the Highlands and Islands to (a) Scottish and (b) UK levels and when each of these targets will be achieved.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The 1999 New Earnings Survey highlighted that average earnings in the Highlands &amp; Islands are below those earned in Scotland and Great Britain. This reflects the traditional narrow base of the economy of the Highlands &amp; Islands. The key thrust of the …

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government and airlines operating within the Highlands and Islands regarding a reduction in the cost of airfares to and from the area.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998, matters concerning the regulation of aviation and air transport are reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Executive is, however, in regular contact with the UK Government about a wide range of matters; and,…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to upgrade the B8007 between Kilchoan and Acharacle.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The upgrading of this road is a matter for the Highland Council as the local roads authority for the area.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to eliminate social exclusion in rural areas.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Through our Social Justice Strategy, we are already delivering a range of polices and programmes which are aimed at tackling and eliminating social exclusion throughout Scotland, in both rural and urban communities. We have acknowledged that we need to improv…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what areas it has identified in the Highlands and Islands as priority areas in addressing social exclusion.

Answer · Margaret Curran: There are 48 Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs) in Scotland tackling social exclusion in priority areas and client groups. These include the Highlands &amp; Islands SIP, which addresses social exclusion in young people across a number of priority areas and …

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research is being undertaken into the catching and marketing of fish species of the northern waters which are as yet unharvested.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The bulk of research effort is directed towards commercially exploited species. However, exploratory surveys are undertaken annually and all species caught, including those not currently harvested, are routinely recorded. <P>Market research is undertaken on e…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional private sector investment it will encourage in installing fibre optic cables in the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is considering with the UK Government how best to extend broadband access as widely as possible, including the role of public sector procurement of broadband services in stimulating wider supply by the industry.<P>The Executive recognis…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to improve access to primary health care services in the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is determined to improve access to primary care services across Scotland, and just some of its current initiatives are set out below:<UL><I><LI>Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change</I> sets out our commitment to ens…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what health measures it will take to reduce the mortality rate in Eilean Siar to the Scottish average.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is dedicated to improving the health of all Scots and, in particular, to tackling health inequalities<I>. Our National Health: A plan for action; a plan for change</I>, published on 14 December 2000, sets out fully the policy framework …

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the anticipated 19.9% reduction in the population of Eilean Siar between 1998 and 2016, as detailed in the Registrar General for Scotland's Annual Report for 1999, will have on the long-term economic, cultural and social viability of the islands.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The latest, 1998-based population projections produced by The Registrar General for Scotland, indicate that the population of the Western Isles will decline by 14.2% (3,960 people) over the period 1998 to 2016. Population projections provide an indication of …

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Caledonian MacBrayne and other ferry operators about extending ferry services within the islands and between the islands and the mainland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Caledonian MacBrayne and other ferry operators at both official and ministerial level on a wide range of ferry issues.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what potential it sees for precious mineral extraction in the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: A variety of precious minerals is found in the Highlands and Islands. It is for those involved in minerals prospecting and extraction to establish whether there are reserves which at some future date could be worked economically.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to set up mobile dialysis units in the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Susan Deacon: This is a matter for the health boards and NHS Trusts which serve the Highlands and Islands.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many kilometres of trunk roads there are in the Highlands and Islands and what this represents as a percentage of the overall trunk road network.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: There are no trunk roads in the three Islands Council areas. In the area of Highland Council there are 978 kilometres of trunk road which represents 28% of the overall trunk road network in Scotland.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the trunk roads budget will be spent in the Highlands and Islands in each of the next three financial years.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Our initial estimate is that around 15% of the overall trunk road budget will be spent in the North-West Unit, which covers most of the Highland Council area. The percentage will vary from year to year depending on whether new construction is underway.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to diversify the economy of the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-13664.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote Internet working from home in the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Internet working from home is already technically possible in the Highlands and Islands, as it is across the whole of Scotland.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to attract both overseas and domestic tourists to the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The New Strategy for Scottish Tourism, which we published last February, includes actions that we believe will grow tourism in the Highlands and Islands. We have also increased the budget of visitscotland to a record level, which will enable it to increase it…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase inward investment in the Western Isles.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Locate in Scotland promotes the whole of Scotland as a location for inward investment. However, in recognition of the particular difficulties which rural areas face in attracting inward investment, Locate in Scotland established its Rural Inward Investment Te…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reverse depopulation in the Western Isles.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The Executive is committed to tackling the causes of population decline through initiatives targeted at rural communities across Scotland. In the Western Isles, the Executive supports economic development through Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Western I…

23 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12738 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 6 February 2001, why 269 of the applications submitted to the end of December 2000 for Individual Learning Accounts were rejected and whether detailed explanations of the reasons for rejection can be placed in the Scott…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The total of Individual Learning Account applications rejected, to the end of December 2000, was 169 (0.4% of applications submitted). The most common reasons for rejection were failure to complete all mandatory sections of the application form (44%), ineligi…

23 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10953 by Sarah Boyack on 5 February 2000, when the allocation will be made from the Rural Transport Fund in respect of each of its three component parts and what amount will be allocated to the Rural Community Transport Scheme in 2001 and 2002.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I announced details of the allocations from the increased Rural Transport Fund on 20 March. The allocations are broken down as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=609><TR><TD WIDTH="51%" VALIGN="TOP">&nbsp;</TD><TD WIDTH="16%" VALIGN="TOP"…

23 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take any initiatives or introduce any policy measures in the light of Recommendation C of the 2nd Report 2001 of the Rural Development Committee regarding subsidy of road and ferry transport costs for businesses operating in Scotland's most remote island communities.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: We are committed to providing support for transport to and within remote communities in the Highlands and Islands. In relation to lifeline ferry services, revenue support to Caledonian MacBrayne to support services to the Western Isles and on the Clyde is at …