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£206k has been spent on Ground Investigation work on the A76 at Enterkinfoot. This figures includes:

• Geotechnical Statement of Intent including Desk Study

• Design of Ground Investigation

• Compilation of tender documents

• Ground Investigation, laboratory tests and factual reporting

• Geotechnical Interpretative Report

16,877 pupils in publicly funded primary, secondary and special schools were educated in a different local authority to their home local authority. This data has been published in the pupil census supplementary data 2016:

The 2011 census produced by the National Records Office Scotland provides detail of the number of users of the language by area and can be found at:

There are two locations on the trunk road and motorway network where temporary lights have been in continuous operation for more than 24 months. These are A76 at Enterkinfoot and the A77 at Cairnryan.

The main route into the Borders for anyone coming from the south is via the A7, which is currently signed from junction 44 on the M6 at Carlisle. The approach to this junction also includes a brown tourist sign for ‘Borders Tourist Route to Edinburgh follow A7. This junction is south of the border and therefore comes under the control of Highways England.

As Langholm is some distance from and not directly linked to the M74, it would not be appropriate to provide signs on the southbound carriageway.

There are currently no plans to update signage on the M74 to specifically highlight visitor attractions in Dumfries and Galloway. Tourist signs, highlighting visitor attractions are introduced following application from the tourist attraction providing they meet the criteria set out in Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Guidance document. As part of the current sign renewal programme, it is proposed that a number of additional destinations will be added to some route confirmatory signs (signs showing distance to destination) within the current fiscal year.

Transport Scotland works closely with the organisers of all major events and support is also provided through Traffic Scotland. This support consists of mini sites on the Traffic Scotland web site, the use of Traffic Scotland social media and the use of variable Message Signs (VMS). These resources are used to highlight to road users in the area of the possibility of increased traffic and are not used for the purpose of advertising specific events or tourist attractions.

The Scottish Government has continued stakeholder engagement since the introduction of the Children and Young People (Information Sharing) (Scotland) Bill 2017 in June. The meetings listed below were primarily about the about the Bill as introduced and discussion on the illustrative draft code will have formed part of the discussions.

The specification for the Public Local Inquiry is currently being finalised to allow the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) to make its arrangements. An independent reporter from DPEA will be appointed to consider the proposed plans and make a recommendation to Scottish Ministers. DPEA will, in due course, contact all those who have made objections to provide details of the process and the time and date of the Inquiry. However, it is too early to give any information on the expected timescale for completion of the Inquiry.

This information is available from the published 2016-17 Annual Report and Accounts of Scottish Enterprise.