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In addition, we haverecently undertaken a Route Improvement Strategy Study of the A9 from Perth toBlair Atholl which identified £165 million worth of long-term improvement work.Detailed studies are now being carried out on how best to take forward theseimprovements to the A9 including dualling between Perth and Pitlochry, safeovertaking provision and reconstruction along this environmentally sensitiveroute.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for moreinformation if required.

Our project to deliver gaugeenhancement from Mossend to Elgin via Perth will allow for larger freight containers to betransported by rail. We estimate that this will remove 19.8 million vehiclemiles from the roads per year.

Whilst on-going management of the site is the responsibility of the owner, the 1979 act does not impose any obligationon the owner of a monument to maintain it. Historic Scotland can and does offergrants to owners for works that benefit a monument. Recently, several grants havebeen given to support the better management of the site, and to allow it to be appreciatedas a single entity.

The current greatest single problemis a recurrence of rabbit infestation. Between August 2005 and March 2006, rabbitproof fencing was erected around the site, jointly funded by a Rural StewardshipScheme application and a Historic Scotland grant. It is hoped that this barrier,combined with a program of night shooting, will reduce the number of rabbits inthe fort in coming years. Historic Scotland officials continue to be closely involvedin this case and visit the site regularly.

An erosion survey of the fortis currently being undertaken. This will complement the erosion survey which tookplace in 1997, and provide information on the stability of the monument over a 10year period.

 Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whatfunding it is providing to protect Scotland’s trees and woodlands such as the FortingallYew and Meikleour beech hedge.

(S2W-31798)

Sarah Boyack: One of Forestry Commission Scotland’s(FCS) key responsibilities is to protect Scotland’s trees, woods and forests. This is mainly administeredthrough felling permissions, long-term forest plans and direct grant-aid for forestestablishment and management through grant incentives such as the Scottish ForestryGrants Scheme.

Heritage trees within woodlandscan be supported and protected as part of an FCS grant scheme or through regulatorypermissions. Individual trees of particularly high amenity value can also be protectedby Tree Preservation Orders which are issued by local planning authorities. Thereare also local initiatives supported by FCS, which promote the importance of highvalue heritage trees. For example, the FCS inventory of Scotland’s heritagetrees led to the publication Heritage Trees of Scotland, which featuresboth the Fortingall Yew and the Meikleour Beech Hedge. The “Perthshire Big TreeCountry” initiative - a £1.8 million project delivered via Perth and KinrossCountryside Trust to which FCS has contributed around £600,000 through the ScottishForestry Grant Scheme – is helping to safeguard the future of heritage trees inPerthshire.

There were seven pupils in independentspecial schools located in Fife for whom ASD was recorded as the main difficulty in learning.The number of pupils with ASD being home educated is not held centrally.