- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would establish a coastal and marine national park in circumstances where the majority of the people in a referendum, who are qualified to vote by being on the electoral register on the areas within the boundaries of the proposed park, rejected the proposal.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26163 on 5 June 2006. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament鈥檚 website, the searchfacility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there would be zoning of the seas within the area of a coastal and marine national park; if so, what the effect of such zoning would be; whether it has received advice from Scottish Natural Heritage on zoning and, if so, whether it will publish in full, without redaction, copies of all such advice.
Answer
It is too soon to take aview on whether or not zoning should be pursued within Scotland鈥檚first Coastal and Marine National Park. No decisions have yet been takenon the role and functions of the Park authority that would be established orthe location of the park. The Scottish Executive will be consulting on theseand other issues in the summer.The advice received from SNHis available on their website
http://www.snh.org.uk/strategy/CMNP/sr-adnp01.aspand we are considering that at present.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the annual cost of running a coastal and marine national park for the first three years of operation.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage鈥檚(SNH) advice stated that it is difficult to quantify the likely running costs ofa Coastal and Marine National Park as this will depend on the area chosen, the specificpowers and functions of the park authority and its governance arrangements. I havemade clear that no decisions have been taken on the area or in relation to powersand functions of the park authority. Views on these issues will be sought in theExecutive鈥檚 consultation during the summer.
Section 3 of SNH鈥檚 advice coveringrunning costs can be viewed at:
http://www.snh.org.uk/strategy/CMNP/sr-adnp01.asp.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any advice from Scottish Natural Heritage in relation to the meeting which took place, and the content of the discussions at the meeting, on 4 May 2006 at the Astley Hall, Arisaig and whether it will place copies of all such advice and documents in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
The Scottish Executive receivedby email a report from SNH on the local meeting that was held at Arisaig on 4 May 2006 on Coastaland Marine National Parks. The documents have been placed in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 39771).
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the issue of a coastal and marine national park has been discussed in its Cabinet and, if so, on what date or dates.
Answer
Cabinet regularly discussesissues related to the marine and coastal environment and our PartnershipAgreement commitments. However, Scottish ministers operate on the basis ofcollective responsibility and do not disclose details of private deliberations.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the advice it has received from Scottish Natural Heritage on the impact which any coastal and marine national park may have on the fishing industry recognises that the park plan would take precedence in the event of any conflict with local fisheries management.
Answer
Section 3 of SNH鈥檚 reportoutlined its advice on powers and structures of a Coastal and Marine NationalPark and supported the view that inshore fisheries groups should continue to bethe main vehicle for the planning and management of fisheries within the park area.I have made clear that I want to see a park authority working with inshorefisheries management groups.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any coastal and marine national park could prevent tankers from using the Minch.
Answer
The location of Scotland鈥檚 firstCoastal and Marine National Park has not yet been decided and will be one of a numberof issues on which the Executive will seek the views of the public through a consultationexercise during the summer.
Rights of navigation under internationallaw are a matter for Her Majesty鈥檚 Government.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is to date of the work carried out by it and Scottish Natural Heritage on the coastal and marine national park, including the cost of recent advice to ministers and the process of consultation with stakeholders.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does nothold information on the costs of work carried out by it on coastal and marine nationalparks.
Enquiries relating to the costsof Scottish Natural Heritage鈥檚 work on coastal and marine national parks shouldbe directed to Scottish Natural Heritage.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 30 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether only two companies remain interested in tendering for the Clyde and Hebridean ferry services; if so, whether that situation is in accordance with the law in relation to tendering and what the position will be in the event that one of the companies withdraws from the tendering process.
Answer
There remain two companies interestedin tendering for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. There is no legal impediment that preventsthe Executive from continuing with the competitive tendering exercise with onlytwo potential tenderers.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 30 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies remain interested in submitting tenders for the Clyde and Hebridean ferry services and which companies these are.
Answer
Following the decision by WesternFerries in early May to withdraw from the tender process there remain two companiesinterested in tendering for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. The Executive鈥檚policy in procurement exercises such as this is not to reveal the identities of the companies who have submitted聽 Pre-Qualification Questionnaires to the Executiveas part of the tender process.
