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The Scottish Government hasnot participated in discussions on the development of the economic partnershipagreements between the European Commission and the African, Caribbean andPacific countries. This is an issue that I will consider raising in futurediscussions with UK Ministers.

The Scottish Executivetreats these allegations very seriously and has stated its opposition to renditionflights. Civil Aviation is a reserved matter and so is the responsibility of theUK Government but attempts to commit or to conspire to commit torture are crimesunder Scots law and it is for the police to investigate allegations of such offencesand for the procurator fiscal to decide whether to bring proceedings. However, theappropriate authorities can only act on the basis of evidence. To this end, I haveinvited civil liberties organisations to present me with any evidence they may haveabout Scottish airports being used for extraordinary rendition flights. If suchevidence is there it will be considered by the appropriate authorities.

The Scottish Government is committedto equality and to ensuring that the specific needs of particular communities areaddressed.

In preparing a community safetystrategy, community safety partnerships are encouraged to undertake a communitysafety audit and to consult the community, including members of equality groups,to enable them to be actively involved in setting priorities. Public bodies involvedin community safety partnerships are also subject to duties to promote gender, disabilityand race equality.

We will continue to encouragethe involvement of all of our citizens in making Scotland a safer and stronger place.

The Executive has already issuedguidance to the wider Scottish public sector on how, and under what circumstances,environmental criteria can be specified in public contracts. The Executive has beenworking with external stakeholder bodies to produce Scottish specific guidance onincluding social criteria in public procurement activity which will be issued assoon as a final version has been agreed. The Executive is also involved in pilotprojects looking at incorporating “social clauses” into contracts. All Executiveguidance on social and environmental issues in public procurement can be found onthe Executive’s website.

The procurement process complieswith European competition rules. The tender has still to be submitted and the awardwill be subject to the tender demonstrating value for money.

There have been no detailedcost estimates made of dualling the A9, A96, or A77. Any future investment inthese routes will emerge from the StrategicTransport Projects Review which is due to report in summer 2008. Details of the current investment programme, includingthe costs of building the M74 and the Aberdeen Western peripheral route, areavailable on the Transport Scotland website http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/defaultpage1221cde0.aspx?pageID=20.

Assessment of the costsassociated with constructing a new Forth crossing is being made as part of the ForthReplacement Crossing Study. Transport Scotland is currently considering thedraft reports from the study and will make its recommendation to Cabinet toallow ministers to make a decision in summer 2007.

There is no statutory deadlinefor the approval of regional transport strategies. The Transport (Scotland) Act2005 section 6(1)(b) required the Regional Transport Partnerships to submit theirfirst transport strategies by 31 March 2007. The document Scotland’s Transport Future: Guidanceon Regional Transport Strategies states that ministers will aim to approve orreturn submitted strategies within three months.

Scotland’s TransportFuture: Guidance on Regional Transport Strategies states when considering whether to approve astrategy, Scottish ministers consider, amongst other things, how far the strategywill contribute to the Executive’s own transport objectives. The guidancestates that ministers will aim to approve or return submitted strategies withinthree months.

We are discussing theprogrammes of the regional transport partnerships with them, to see what can bedone to reduce traffic levels, and encourage modal shift and car sharing.

Scotland’s Transport Future: Guidance on Regional TransportStrategies requires that the 7Regional Transport Partnerships have due regard to the National PlanningFramework and other Scottish Executive planning policy documents.