Parliamentary questions

Peter Peacock

1,395 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason Highland and Cairngorms local action groups were unsuccessful in their bid for funding from the Broadband Challenge Fund.

Answer · Jim Mather: The reasons these bids could not be supported was that the score of the bids against the full criteria used fell below that of the others. In the case of Highland, the bid''s explanation of the impact on jobs, and the area and population covered, was weaker t…

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will replace the withdrawn programmes run by the Intellectual Assets Centre that ran in conjunction with the local authorities’ Supplier Developer Programme.

Answer · Jim Mather: The issue of replacing withdrawn programmes run by the Intellectual Asset Centre that ran in conjunction with the local authorities'' Supplier Developer Programme is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enter…

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the decision of Scottish Enterprise to ask small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and others to pay 25% towards accessing support by use of their intangible assets will have on its commitment to free support for SMEs and voluntary sector organisations to bid for public sector con…

Answer · Jim Mather: European State aid regulations state that for initial investment projects the beneficiary of aid must provide a contribution of at least 25% of the eligible costs, either through its own resources or by external financing. Scottish Enterprise, in common with …

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it considers any reduction in funding from Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise will have on the objectives of the Intellectual Asset Centre in relation to its work on food and drink strategic objectives and protected food names.

Answer · Jim Mather: The impact and objectives of the Intellectual Asset Centre in relation to its work on food and drink strategic objectives and protected food names is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the Chief Ex…

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any impediments to the Intellectual Asset Centre securing funding from the European Union.

Answer · Jim Mather: The issue of whether there are any impediments to the Intellectual Asset Centre securing funding from the European Union is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the Chief Executive of…

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Intellectual Asset Centre is encouraged to seek funding from appropriate EU funding programmes.

Answer · Jim Mather: The issue of whether the Intellectual Assets Centre is encouraged to seek funding from appropriate EU funding programmes is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the Chief Executive of…

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the Intellectual Asset Centre.

Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Intellectual Management Limited (SIAM) is a Company Limited by Guarantee whose core purpose is to operate and manage the Intellectual Assets Centre. SIAM is a subsidiary of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage has advised that it is unable to provide an estimate of breeding success. This is because its survey methodology is aimed at assessing numbers of breeding pairs rather than their productivity.

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the numbers of hen harriers on special protection areas (SPA) is designated if a hen harrier interest is (a) static, (b) increasing or (c) declining and what the trend is for each such SPA.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Special Protection Areas (SPA) are classified in accordance with the requirements of Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds using guidelines for the selection of SPAs (published by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in 1999). The guideli…

8 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many special protection areas are designated wholly or partly with regard to hen harrier interest and whether it will list them.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: In Scotland there are 13 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) where hen harrier is listed as a qualifying feature. The sites are named as follows: Arran Moors; Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands; Forest of Clunie; Glen App and Galloway Moors; Glen Tanar…

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has concerns regarding any implications for (a) jobs and (b) the continuation of college campuses in the Highlands and Islands arising from the budget for 2011-12.

Answer · Angela Constance: The difficult decisions colleges, including those serving the Highlands and Islands, are now being obliged to take to balance their own budgets for next year derive directly from Westminster''s cut of £1.3 billion in the Scottish block grant. We have asked co…

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a reporter other than the one who presided over the last inquiry will be appointed if a public inquiry is held into the proposed incinerator at Invergordon.

Answer · John Swinney: A new reporter has been appointed to consider this case. Mr Richard Dent, the reporter, is currently examining all the information that has been submitted to decide how the appeal should proceed.

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who will make the final decision on the application for an incinerator at Invergordon if a public inquiry is held.

Answer · John Swinney: The reporter, Mr Richard Dent, has been appointed by Scottish ministers to make the final decision on this appeal. He is currently examining all the information that has been submitted to decide how the appeal should proceed.

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to hold a public inquiry into the proposed incinerator at Invergordon and, if so, when it will be held.

Answer · John Swinney: The reporter appointed to determine this appeal, Mr Richard Dent, is currently considering what further information he requires to determine this appeal, who is best placed to provide this and by what method this should be obtained (further written submission…

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether cost-per-user was a factor in deciding to award funding from the Broadband Challenge Fund.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39629 on 10 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/…

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of potential end users was considered when awarding funding from the Broadband Challenge Fund.

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used for awarding funding from the Broadband Challenge Fund.

Answer · Jim Mather: The criteria used by the expert panel for assessing local action group strategic bids are as follows. <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=198 valign=bottom > Scoring Criteria </td> …

7 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding a local authority no longer providing funding for a national centre of excellence in education for which its annual funding had been specifically increased.

Answer · Michael Russell: The previously ring-fenced funding for national centres of excellence was rolled-up into the local government finance settlement with effect from 1 April 2008. Although the provision for national centres of excellence is still recognised in the needs-based di…

7 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what understanding was reached with or through COSLA regarding increased funding for particular local authorities for national centres of excellence in education being intended for the continuation of such centres.

Answer · Michael Russell: Under the terms of the Concordat it was agreed by Scottish Ministers and the COSLA Presidential Team that, as part of the funding package for 2008-11, the Scottish Government would substantially reduce the number of separate funding streams, thereby allowing …

7 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis was for the amount included in Highland Council’s budget for the National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music.

Answer · Michael Russell: The previously ring-fenced funding for national centres of excellence was rolled-up into the local government finance settlement with effect from 1 April 2008. The £410,000 provided to Highland Council to assist with the running costs of the National Centre f…