- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 2 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated life is of the new headquarters to be built in Inverness for Scottish Natural Heritage; whether the cost of leasing the premises from the owners will be taken into account when working out net present value (NPV); whether, in calculating NPV, the period in respect of which discounted value is assessed will be the whole expected life of the building or 30 years and, if it is 30 years, what account will be taken of the lease costs of the building for the remainder of the expected life of the building.
Answer
The invitation to tender for the SNH HQ building requires the developer to design all non-replaceable elements of the building fabric to a standard suitable for permanent buildings with a life span of 75 years or more. Option appraisals undertaken by SNH follow Treasury guidance on appraisal periods and discount rates and in this case follows normal practice in adopting a 30-year appraisal period. No final decision has been taken on whether the building will be leased or purchased outright. If the leasing option were to be chosen, on completion of the 30-year lease term the building could either be surrendered back to the owner or a new lease negotiated, according to SNH’s requirement at that time.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 30 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out any study into the need for a bypass of Nairn on the A96 and whether it will invite the local enterprise company to consider the matter.
Answer
There are no current plans to carry out such a study.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 30 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the creation of a bypass of Nairn on the A96 and, if so, what steps it will take to achieve this and within what timescale.
Answer
A bypass for Nairn is not currently part of the motorway and trunk roads programme.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 30 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from either the Highland Council or HITRANS in respect of a bypass of Nairn on the A96.
Answer
I am not aware of having received any representations on this matter from either the Highland Council or the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS).
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 30 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether measures should be taken by it, or any other body, to preserve a possible route for a bypass of Nairn on the A96, in light of any possibility that further development to the south of Nairn would make such a bypass more difficult and expensive to construct in future.
Answer
Decisions in relation to land use and development plans are a matter for the Highland Council.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has opposed, or will oppose, or express its opposition to Her Majesty’s Government regarding, any proposal by the European Union to increase the Hilton quotas for importation of beef from Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay from the existing levels.
Answer
Negotiations between Mercosur (the South American trading group) and the EU Commission are currently underway with a view to improving EU/Mercosur trade. The UK is actively involved in these discussions. The Executive has made it clear that increases in Hilton quotas for beef would be a concern.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 22 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any incentives being offered by supermarkets to beef processors to supply South American beef and, if so, what steps it is taking to protect the Scottish beef sector.
Answer
We are not aware of incentives being offered. Beef procurement policy is a commercial decision for individual supermarkets.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 22 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact any relaxation of import restrictions to the European Union from the Mercosul countries would have on the Scottish beef sector and what economic appraisal it has carried out to assess such an impact.
Answer
Further trade liberalisation will increase the competitive pressure upon the Scottish beef sector. Economists in interested departments of the UK Government and the devolved administrations, including representatives from Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department, are considering the impact of future changes – including those in relation to trading conditions. The results of any further work will be put on the Executive website.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 22 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends that Scotland should maintain a food supply base and, if so, what steps it will take, either by itself or through Quality Meat Scotland or other bodies, to protect and promote the Scottish beef sector.
Answer
The maintenance of the food supply base in Scotland is a key objective of
A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture. The food processing sector has and will continue to receive support under the Agriculture Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme. Since 2001, this sector has benefited from some £20 million assistance which has triggered investment in excess of £200 million.
The Executive is fully committed to the Scottish beef sector. We will continue to work with organisations such as Quality Meat Scotland to help in the promotion of the red meat sector. Joint activity in securing the Protected Geographical Indication for both beef and lamb has ensured greater flexibility for Scotland in respect of state aid restriction on promotional activity.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the bingo industry and, in particular, in favour of equal treatment between the bingo industry and other elements of the gambling industry in respect of taxation to ensure that provisions in the UK Gambling Bill should not prejudice the interests of bingo clubs in Scotland, in light of the conclusions of the Gambling Review Report, that bingo is a safe and comfortable environment, particularly for women, and often has a place at the heart of the community.
Answer
Taxation of the gambling industry is a reserved matter, but I can advise that the provisions of the Gambling Bill do not include any proposals for the taxation of the gambling industry.
