Scottish Government

Ministers are making sure that the value of the historic environment is widely appreciated, and are setting out their policies on the protection and management of the historic environment through the Scottish Historic Environment Policy series: SHEPs have been published on the scheduling of ancient monuments and are in preparation for listing of historic buildings, listed building consent, the operation of properties in the care of Scottish Ministers, battlefields and the marine historic environment.

Historic Scotland is setting up an 'audit' of Scotland's historic environment, so that the condition of our important sites, buildings and landscapes can be measured on a regular basis.

There are around 100 listings on the island of Islay of buildings or other structures recognised for their special architectural and historic interest. Islay is best renowned in modern times for its whisky industry and five distilleries are currently listed. There are 4 conservation areas and 56 scheduled monuments and 1 designed landscape in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes.

Argyll and Bute Council has been involved with Conservation Area appraisals, and HS is aware of discussions having taken place concerning a possible new building preservation trust at Kilchoman. There are Management Agreements in place at both Nereabolls and Finlaggan, and HS have recently provided grant aid for stone shelters at both the mentioned sites.

Answer: VisitScotland, as the Government's national tourism body, is committed to continually improving and increasing tourism in Scotland for the benefit of business and tourism customers alike. Their extensive domestic and international marketing brings people from all over the UK, Europe and beyond to Scotland. However, based on the results of consumer research, the emphasis of VisitScotland's marketing at a national level is on what people want to do on holiday (i.e. products) as opposed to marketing individual areas. It is then the responsibility of VisitScotland's area offices to market their own geographic areas using a variety of means, including Local Area Guides. Sectors of the tourism industry and individual businesses also have a responsibility to market their own products and there are many excellent examples of marketing across the country.

VisitScotland.com operates an online and telephone booking system for accommodation and visitor experiences across Scotland. Every effort is made to employ and train staff with an excellent knowledge of Scotland and while we acknowledge that there have been problems, improvements are continually being made to improve the design and content of the website as well as the knowledge of call centre staff. These improvements have been taken in response to extensive research carried out by visitscotland.com and will help provide a more customer focused service for accommodation (area) and customer experiences (products) alike. We are committed to meeting the ever changing demands and expectations of the consumer while maintaining a strong focus on helping business customers meet their potential.

The North East of Scotland has a lot to offer visitors and we encourage local businesses and public bodies to work in partnership to promote their area and the many excellent products that can be experienced within it.

So far as providing additional funding, we do not believe this will be necessary given the resources that will be available over the programming period. The EC Rural Development Regulation sets out 4 Axes where we can support expenditure, together with a direction on the minimum spend we need to allocate to each. These Axes and the minimum spend for each are:

£254m has been allocated to Axis 1 - 'Improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector' (10% minimum spend).

£1,124m has been allocated to Axis 2 - 'Improving the environment and countryside through land management' (25% minimum spend).

£181m has been allocated to Axis 3 - 'Improving quality of life through diversification of economic activity' (10%minimum spend).

In addition, over £41m will be available to support Axis 4 (LEADER) activities (5% minimum spend within the minima for Axes 1-3).

As you can clearly see the bulk of our proposed expenditure (70%) will go towards addressing measures under Axis 2, which would include measures to protect and enhance biodiversity.

Question 157: The farming community already had 2007 without any new grants. The industry would find it very difficult if there is further delay with LFASS, Rural Development Contracts (replacing Land Management Contracts,) Environmental Schemes and the new LEADER Programme.

Also within the SRDP is £18 million EAFRD which is ring-fenced for the H&I (know this isn't a huge amount in relation to the whole Programme). The H & I should receive this due to its Convergence status and the fact the main Convergence Programmes are just ERDF and ESF. The previous Transitional Programme had Agric and Fishing funding also. Would be interested to know if the Minister is aware of this funding and how he is going to ensure this funding is additional to H & I, e.g. not just top-sliced off the pot we were going to get anyway.

It is still our intention to make LFASS payments at around the end of the year, subject to SRDP approval. We are making every effort to secure SRDP approval as soon as possible.

You can be assured that £18 million worth of convergence funding will be ring-fenced for the Highlands and Islands. I can also assure you that H&I will not lose out on other potential funding through the SRDP. The programme rightly takes account of regional circumstance to ensure that we maximise the benefits we receive through funding social, environmental and economic measures. However, the available funding will not be split into regional pots. Under Rural Development Contracts, Rural Priorities and given it is a competitive scheme only the best proposals will be funded.

Answer: We have known for some time that the EC would look closely at the nitrates issue. It would be inappropriate to suppose that Scotland could or should be exempt from the tightening of standards that is taking place across Europe. In simple terms: we cannot expect the SRDP to be accepted unless we make revisions to the current NVZ Action Programme in Scotland. This work is now reaching a conclusion.

I should point out that we are continuing to work towards programme approval in December 2007 with the aim of opening the programme in early 2008.

Assessment of applications for funding by RPACs will consider how proposals contribute to policy outcomes, how they deliver value for money and additionality, and whether they present any risks (e.g. to other outcomes). Case Officers will have access to specialist input from a wide range of public bodies to ensure an integrated and holistic approach to the assessment of applications.

For LEADER projects, Local Action Groups will determine priorities through a local development strategy and assess and select applications with a wide community benefit to receive funding which implement the approved strategy. This approach builds on the experience gained during the last programming period. LEADER will be made available to all of rural Scotland and it is hoped that final coverage will be 100% of rural Scotland. However there will be a competitive process against known selection criteria to ensure that quality local rural development strategies are in place. Local Action Groups will work closely with RPACs and vice versa to ensure complementarity and that the most appropriate route for funding is chosen. LAGs will fit within the regional RPAC delivery and also use the regional priorities to select projects. LEADER aims to build capacity in communities and empower them through local decision making.

Answer: We will continue to work closely with all other directorates of the Scottish Government to develop an integrated approach to tackling the specific and in some cases unique problems and circumstances experienced throughout rural Scotland. To do this we need to identify which funding streams, be they central Government, local Government or through our partner agencies are the most appropriate to deliver particular polices and outcomes. We also need to avoid duplication of funding, which is a requirement of the Rural Development Regulation.

One of the keys to helping build thriving rural communities is in empowering them to determine and take forward what they see as necessary in their locality. The Scotland Rural Development Programme contains a measure designed to do that. It provides for financial assistance to be available to help local communities build collaborative local strategies which take account of national and local priorities such as those determined under the Community Planning process.

What plans does this administration have to address this issue?

Answer: The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) has had notable success in supporting a wide range of community projects. The Government believes that support for community renewables projects such as that provided through SCHRI is vital to ensure good projects continue to come forward, and is committed to increasing the support for microgeneration to achieve this.

Support for microgeneration and community renewables will be part of a coherent approach to energy policy, recognising that promoting reduced energy consumption and promoting low carbon technologies are key to achieving sustainable economic growth. Ministers are speaking with a broad range of stakeholders to discuss energy policy. Arising from this work, we will set out a broad strategic overview for energy in Scotland. This will set out key objectives and priorities for Scotland and provide the context for the Government, industry and other stakeholders to take forward a range of workstreams including enhanced support for community renewables.

Answer: The Scottish Government is acutely aware of the importance of Health and Well Being for all Scotland's citizens. Rural Directorate and Health and Wellbeing Directorate are working closely together to identify opportunities that support the wealth of the Scottish food sector but also the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.

National campaigns promote the benefits of having a healthy diet and active lifestyle across the entire population. Current work includes expanding uptake by businesses of the Healthy Living Award in all parts of Scotland. This provides Scottish consumers with the opportunity to make healthier choices in restaurants, cafes and hospitals. Also, the Scotland Rural Development Programme will inject £1.6 billion into rural economies over 7 years, including £32 million to encourage local communities to join together in proposing projects to develop community facilities including sport facilities.

Answer: This Government believes that there are major potential benefits for local communities to gain from renewables development. Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism, is hosting a seminar in November to explore this further, bringing together developers, local authorities and community organisations to try and build consensus on the key issues.

We have endorsed Scottish Planning Policy (SPP)6, which sets out a clear framework for the assessment of renewable energy developments, and have asked local authorities to give urgent attention to preparing related planning guidance for their own areas. As part of this, we encourage local authorities to incorporate preferred areas of search in their development plans.

In addition to the standard Living Cost Support - Young Student's Bursary and Student Loans - that is available, most full time HE students can claim their travel expenses (based on the cheapest fares) in excess of £155 from SAAS. If a student lives away from home, the cost of travel from home to their term-time address and the return journey home at the end of term may be payable for each term. While SAAS do not normally pay the cost of air travel, students living in Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles, Islay or Jura, Caithness or north-west Sutherland who have to travel to the mainland for study can get a 40% discount on air-fares. For further information on this discount please contact the Scottish Executive Air Discount Scheme on: 0800 0322 890. While living at their term-time address, travel to and from the institution is also payable, subject to a daily maximum. Further information on travelling expenses can be found at www.student-support-saas.gov.uk/

Question 139: Is the minister aware that the Leisure Marine industry in Scotland contributes over £250m* to the economy (excluding capital items), and will he undertake to consult fully with the sector, which embraces tourism, sport, and the environment, when drawing up any Scottish Marine Bill, or similar legislation? Additionally, is the Minister aware that the Royal Yachting Association and British Marine Federation are launching an environmental awareness campaign in Scotland for leisure mariners - the Green Blue - which aims to improve the already high level of respect for Scotland's seas and shores by both participants and the marine leisure industry.

* Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire study 2006.

Answer: We committed to consulting with all relevant users on proposed Scottish marine legislation in the Government's Programme for Scotland, published in September of this year. Voluntary initiatives which encourage good environmental practice and sustainable use of the marine environment are in keeping with Government policy direction and the Green Blue campaign is welcomed as an example of one.

Answer: The Scottish Government agrees that environmental protection is not the same thing as health protection although many of the standards applied to aspects of environment are formulated with direct reference to health protection. We recognise too, the critical importance of preventing ill health in addition to ensuring the provision of health care.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency, local authorities and the Health and Safety Executive are amongst many bodies who exercise powers and fulfil duties which preserve and protect the environment. Each has a clear locus/remit in relation to Scotland's health now and for the future. Procedures for Environmental Impact assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment ensure that when we change things the implications for health receive due consideration. There is also a clear and recognised convergence in work to deliver a sustainable Scotland and our efforts to deliver better health and greater equality in health.

Answer: Importing cattle that have been vaccinated against foot and mouth disease is not permitted.

Answer: In accordance with EU legislation, imports of beef from animals treated with hormones is not permitted.

Answer: The RET trial is a evidential gathering tool and the results will form part of a detailed research report on which to base robust future policy decisions on this issue. The scope of the trial is restricted in order to allow the evidence gathering and reporting to be completed to time and cost constraints and allow consideration of the research findings by the Scottish Government.

Whilst we accept that a number of additional islands could have been added to the pilot, we are confident that restriction to one or more routes to the Western Isles will provide sufficient information in reasonable time and at affordable cost, enabling us to take future decisions on RET issues generally."

Answer: The Government will increase the capacity of our police service to protect the communities of Scotland by the equivalent of 1,000 officers. This will involve a mixture of additional recruitment, improved retention, and freeing up the time of existing officers through tackling inefficiencies and exploiting new technology. This will not be an exercise in 'rebadging' existing officers.

The Government is committed to seeing a genuine improvement in how policing is delivered in our communities. This will involve moving away from a simple focus on how many police are employed, to the question of what they do and the difference they make. That means a partnership between Government, chief constables and police boards, in which each must play its part. The Government will set out the detail of its proposals later this Autumn in the context of the Budget, in what will be a commitment stretching across our four year term

Answer: The Scottish Government is committed to sustainable fish stocks and will fight to ensure that catch limits are set at sustainable levels to ensure the future health of fish stocks. As regards discards the Scottish Government welcomes the European Commission's proposal to reduce unwanted by-catches and eliminate discards in European fisheries. The Scottish Government has informed the Commission of a number of measures currently being taken forward by the Scottish fleet to reduce discarding and has encouraged the Commission to consider applying them to other fleets.

(Organisations need to be adequately funded to meet expensive travel and capacity costs if they are to be equal partners with mainland counterparts. Also, if we are to be involved in joined up delivery, this issue needs to be properly addressed).

Answer: When deciding which methods of civic engagement to use, the Scottish Government recognises that it is crucial to be clear about the objectives of the exercise, the information and views required and the target audience. Methods and levels of engagement are to be determined at the initial planning stages of an engagement exercise.

The Scottish Government will continue to seek ways of improving its civic engagement strategy in order to ensure that all those in Scotland can play as full as part as possible in the development of its policies

One delivery mechanism under the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2007-13 is the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme (CCAGS) which provides support for agricultural development to crofters and others of a like economic status to crofters. CCAGS includes provisions for agricultural buildings. Another delivery mechanism is Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities. Rural Priorities brings together a range of formerly separate support schemes across the farming, forestry and primary processing sectors including those covering agricultural business development. However, only proposals considered best able to help deliver the priority outcomes for a region will receive funding. The SRDP cannot open until the European Commission has approved the Programme submitted in June 2007 and our current expectation is for presentation of the final Programme at the November Rural Development Committee. This would allow approval by the European Council in time for effective opening of the programme in January 2008 once the Scottish Statutory Instruments come into force following Scottish parliamentary approval in mid/late December 2007. Public meetings for potential applicants are being planned across the country between mid December and mid February and these will be promoted shortly.

Answer: We understand the genuine concerns from our remote and fragile communities about the challenge to provide good access to public services, at an affordable cost . One of our aims is to strengthen local involvement. The 32 Community Planning Partnerships (CPP's) provide a local mechanism and focus for collaboration and prioritisation. Community Planning has a central role to play in meeting the challenges of improving public services. We hope that the planning partnerships can make a real difference around Scotland and we are committed to supporting Partnerships as they progress this work. For our part, we want to bring public services closer to each citizen and are working hard to encourage new delivery mechanisms.

We know that the provision of affordable ferry travel is a challenge we must meet in the future, as more often than not it is the lifeblood for island economies. This underpins our commitment to investigating a Road Equivalent Tariff as the basis for future ferry fares. We consider that the pilot is best focussed on those long haul routes from the mainland to the Western Isles. Consideration of those routes will allow us to reach a view on the potential costs and benefits of the scheme and to take informed decisions on the potential benefits and impacts across other routes.

Answer: Regarding the "Halls for All" campaign, the Scottish Government will be responding to the petition on village halls, sponsored by SCVO, in the normal manner in due course.

For 2007-2013 all previous funding streams are being consolidated into the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). The Programme contains a specific measure, worth £32m over 7 years, to help provide leisure, recreation, sporting, catering and other rural community services and facilities, including village halls. There will also be new opportunities for rural community groups to benefit from LEADER. As a key part of SRDP, LEADER's bottom up development approach is designed to empower rural communities and promote local delivery partnerships. Some £41m has been ear marked for LEADER over the next 7 years. The SRDP is currently being considered by the European Commission and we hope to secure its approval by the end of this year.

Question 128:The catalogue of illegal wildlife poisoning incidents in this region over the last few years, culminating in the recent poising of a golden eagle have had a significant impact on our important biodiversity and these incidents may also affect our tourism industry, which is vital to our rural economy. Could the Minister look at both, providing additional resources to support the Wildlife Crime Officers in our region to tackle these crimes and also the setting up a regional initiative, perhaps through the Moorland Forum, bringing together the key stakeholders to tackle this issue once and for all?

Answer: The allocation of resources is an internal matter for individual police forces, but the Scottish Government has funded a wildlife crime information leaflet for Lothian and Borders Police which I was pleased to launch last month. The Scottish Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime, an umbrella body bringing together key stakeholders involved in the issue of wildlife crime, is meeting on the 28th September to discuss recent events and explore new ideas to tackle these crimes.

Question 127: In my local area of Peebles, I attended the Public Inquiry into the Local Plan. For the most part it was housing developers objecting to their controlled sites not being included in the plan. Individually they produced statistics on how little impact their development would have on the infrastructure, roads, bridge over the Tweed, public facilities, schools etc., but there was no master plan to look at what would happen if more than one up to all developers won their objection. To me there seems no overall plan of development and the situation seems to be driven by housing developers; one even objected to an area being designated employment land in the plan as they wanted it for housing. There is nothing in their plans for shops, hospitals, health centres, schools and nurseries, leisure facilities, especially grass and all weather outdoor pitches for rugby, football, cricket, hockey etc. and what we have was already well utilised when the town had a population a lot less than it has now. How can that be called sustainable development and how does the community deal with it?

Answer: Scottish Borders Council has been reviewing the four adopted local plans for the area, and has prepared a single local plan to cover all of the Scottish Borders Council area. The Scottish Borders Finalised Local Plan 2005 is a comprehensive plan which sets out the strategy for land use change throughout the Borders over the period to 2011. It is based on a development strategy seeking sustainable growth around development hubs. It includes policies covering protection of natural and built heritage resources, promotion of appropriate new development and safeguarding existing land uses. The plan contains guidance for all the towns and villages in the Borders and allocates sites for new housing development and identifies where new supporting infrastructure and community facilities (such as schools) are required.

The process of preparing a local plan is required by legislation to include opportunity for representations and objections to be made by interested parties. It is common for a local plan inquiry to be necessary to consider those objections before reaching a final decision on what should be in the Plan. A Reporter appointed by the Scottish Government presides over the Inquiry and prepares a Report giving recommendations on each of the objections considered by the Inquiry. It should be noted that the Inquiry is only concerned with outstanding objections to the local plan and does not look into the plan as a whole. This may have led to the impression expressed that the proposals discussed at the Inquiry did not appear to be comprehensive.

In relation to your point about the potential for more than one developer to have their sites supported, it should be noted that the Structure Plan provides guidance on the overall scale of new housing which is required in the Borders area. The Structure Plan is also prepared by the Council, and it sets out the level of housing which the local plan must provide for through site specific allocations. The Reporter and the Council will have regard to the Structure Plan when deciding how much new development to allow. The cumulative effects of new development on a community is also a relevant consideration.

Once the Council receive the Reporter's Report into the Inquiry it will consider the changes it will make to the Plan. Any changes will be advertised as "Modifications" and there will be further opportunity for interested parties to consider those proposed modifications and to make their views known to the Council.

Question 126: In Scottish Natural Heritage's Policy Guidance Summary, it states "....it is important to note that (renewable energy) schemes are carefully scrutinised for any adverse natural heritage impacts and that the broader environmental benefits of renewable energy are not regarded as sufficient to outweigh significant potential damage to more localised natural heritage interest." How does the Minister propose to reconcile SNH's policy with the overall threat posed to the environment and natural heritage interests posed by climate change?

Question 125: How does the Minister intend to provide a level playing field for voluntary sector in providing key public sector services? Will he commit to a more open and transparent procurement process based on the principles of Partnering championed by Audit Scotland and create a framework which 'encourages' Local Authorities to identify key voluntary sector agencies to develop their capacity and competences to meet public service needs in their areas - providing a significant boost to local economies through robust social enterprises?

Question 124: Could the minister give assurances that the need for additional funding for HE provision in the Highlands and Islands is recognised and that appropriate additional support will be considered?

Answer: I of course recognise that some levels of provision are more expensive than others. This issue, together with the costs of higher education provision in rural areas, is currently being addressed in the Scottish Funding Councils review of teaching funding methodology - a process which seeks to establish and advise on the real costs of further and higher education delivery. All FE and HE institutions in Scotland - including UHI and Orkney College are involved in this process.

Question 123: What are the proposals to make necessary services eg utilities such as water and fuel readily available to communities such as this?

Question 122: What is the SNP's attitude towards Initiative at the Edge?

Answer: Initiative at the Edge plays a vital role in supporting the most remote and fragile areas by encouraging a strengthened, integrated approach to help reduce the uncertainty facing communities in the Highlands and the Islands. The Scottish Government fully supports the Initiative and its continuation.

Question 121: Can the minister promise to look into a reduction in the rate of VAT charged on private house renovations and repairs? The reason for pursuing this is that it would enable cost effective renovation projects on older buildings. At present the VAT system encourages new build rather than renovation projects.

Answer: Issues relating to VAT rates fall within the remit of the UK Treasury. Its stated policy to date has been to introduce reduced rates only where it considers that they provide targeted and cost effective support for social objectives. For example, a reduced rate of VAT applies to the renovation of houses that have been empty for more than three years.

Question 120: Rural development involving the attraction and retention of people to live on remote islands is threatened by reductions in levels of service in the provision of the current air ambulance service. Public perception is very much that a helicopter based in Inverness cannot provide a better service than the Loganair planes based in Kirkwall. Please can the minister provide assurance that local concerns regarding that provision of ambulance services to the isles under the current contract will be listened to seriously and measures taken to follow up concerns?

Answer: The new air ambulance service contract began on 1 April 2006 and cover is provided by 2 purpose built fixed wing King Air aircraft stationed at Aberdeen and Glasgow and 2 EC135 helicopters, also built as dedicated air ambulances, based in Inverness and Glasgow. As with the previous contract, the back-up for severe weather and other contingencies is the MoD/Coastguard. The performance figures for the first year demonstrate that the average response time from take off to arrival at scene had been reduced by 10 minutes from 40 minutes to 30 minutes and the average patient travel time from take off to arrival at hospital had reduced by 7 minutes from 46 minutes to 39 minutes. In planned cases, where the target was to arrive at the patient in 95% of cases within the time agreed with the clinician, the Ambulance Service improved from 87% to 96%.

In Orkney specifically, the air ambulance service achieved 97% of cases where it arrived at the patient within the time agreed with the clinician, compared with 96% the previous year. Average patient travel time also reduced from around 41 minutes to just over 35 minutes.

Since February this year, the Ambulance Service has been meeting regularly with representatives from NHS Orkney to discuss ambulance provision in Orkney - both air and road services. NHS Orkney has advised the Area Medical Committee that it wants to encourage feedback about any adverse incidents involving the Ambulance Service, and reporting mechanisms are in place for GPs and other frontline staff who commission ambulance services to do this. These meetings offer entirely the correct forum for the service commissioners to seek to validate any adverse perceptions they may have of the service. The Ambulance Service and NHS Orkney have undertaken to investigate any issues raised.

Question 119: The Beauly and Denny Inquiry was running on, and it will come to a conclusions some time. What is the SNP stance - does the Minister recommend acceptance?

Answer: The Beauly to Denny public local inquiry is ongoing. Following the inquiry, the Reporters will submit their report and recommendation to Scottish Ministers for full and proper consideration. You will appreciate that in these circumstances it is not be appropriate, at this stage, for Scottish Ministers to comment on the merits of the proposals.

Question 118: When it comes to pay settlements, there is discussion at 35 FE colleges in Scotland, so there are 35 sets of union negotiators and 35 sets of management negotiators. It would surely make sense to have one set of national negotiators. The unfortunate thing about local negotiation is that if you feel you've been hard done by, then whatever ill-feeling is pointed in the general direction of management and it's the source of unpleasantness, whereas if something happens in Edinburgh, well it happened in Edinburgh and it's done and dusted.

Question 117: Shetland College and the North Atlantic Marine College are being subsidised by the local council at a time when local government finances are coming under great pressure. This is a plea for help with funding for these institutions.

Answer: While it is true that Shetland College and the North Atlantic Marine College remain under the primary control of the local authority both colleges receive financial support through the Scottish Funding Council (in the case of NAMC this is channelled through UHI).

Under the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 Scottish Ministers are prevented from becoming involved in funding decisions relating to individual colleges.

The Scottish Funding Council has responsibility for allocating funds to further education colleges. As part of its responsibility the Funding Council regularly reviews funding arrangements to ensure that they are well placed to meet the ongoing challenges faced by Scotland's colleges. Initial discussions with regards to additional funding needs at either institution would have to take place between Shetland Islands Council and the Scottish Funding Council.

Question 116: There is a lack of public confidence in the current Air Ambulance Service and threat to isles GP practices. There's no quicker way to depopulate a fragile rural community than to break confidence in health care and emergency services. What are the Minister's views on this issue, and is it a waste of time talking about the role of economy and sustainable development if we can't sort out the absolute basics like transport, health care and housing?

Answer: NHS Orkney recognises the critical inter-dependence between local clinical service delivery and the transport infrastructure. That is why as part of its considerations about possible changes to clinical services it is in dialogue with those partners who have a key role to perform in providing a responsive transport infrastructure, including the Scottish Ambulance Service and the Orkney Islands Council. The Scottish Ambulance Service is also keen to look at the possibility of establishing Community First Responder Schemes on the Islands. These schemes are operated by volunteers trained by the Scottish Ambulance Service in first aid skills. They respond to emergencies while an ambulance is en route. These schemes are an essential part of patient care especially in remote and rural areas and the Scottish Government would encourage more people to consider becoming involved in such a worthwhile exercise.

The new contract for the air ambulance service began on 1 April 2006. The first year's performance figures show that there has been an improvement in response times across the country.

Question 115: With regard to the European Fisheries Fund - would be useful to know the progress. Last heard that Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England could not agree on the allocation within the UK, which was delaying the submission of the overall plan to the EU. Have been advised by officials dealing with EFF in the Scottish Executive that UK Ministers recognise that they need to resolve the allocation issues and it might not be a bad thing if Orkney advises Richard Lochhead that this matters to Orkney. Orkney has previously benefited from Fisheries Marketing and Processing monies for Orkney Herring and Orkney Fishermen's Society, also several boats have received Fisheries fund (previously FIFG) to upgrade equipment.

Question 114: Could I please ask the Minister if he has any indication when the European Fisheries Fund is likely to come into being. It should have been in place on 1 January this year, but like the previous scheme it's dragging its heels. Since this is the only source of funding for most fishermen, it's a pretty important thing to be put in place.

Answer: The Scottish Government is alive to the importance of the European grant support programme to the fisheries sector in Scotland. The last round of awards under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) were made in March 2007. The successor programme, the EFF, will require the European Commission to approve its Operational Plan before it goes live, this will require a full public consultation which is planned to take place this October. The consultation will help ensure that the funds under the EFF are targeted effectively. It is anticipated that the European Commission will approve the required Operational Programme in the first half of 2008 and the scheme will then open to new applications.

Question 113: Recruitment to all the public services here is difficult -not just because of the exigencies of life in small communities but because of problems of access to any housing. There is much rhetoric -can specific guarantees be given? -also can housing be developed across the entire island eg the largest community? Port Ellen -has had NOT ONE social house built in the past 20 years and there are no certain plans for ANY yet?

Question 112: One of the biggest problems is that Lochaber Housing Association is building houses, but the lists for those houses are not necessarily local people, they are not necessarily potential employees. Should we, in fact, go back to a community or council owned stock of housing for rental only?

Question 111: In North East Fife, our latest policy initiative on housing in Fife is to stop the housing supply for the strict supply of North East Fie against a balanced position. Now that seems to me a potential to exacerbate the position up here even more than they have at the moment, how will you deal with these consequences?

Question 110: Instead of recognising at random house price inflation, I think affordability affects everybody across the whole spectrum, not just at one end of the spectrum, has been a prime cause of house price inflation has been a lack of supply. What are the Scottish ministers going to do to improve the supply situation?

Answer: The Scottish Government recognises that a sufficient supply of housing is vital for economic growth and sustainability of communities. We have set up a Housing Supply Task Force to identify and tackle the obstacles which inhibit the delivery of more housing. The Task Force met for the first time in August and has set a challenging forward programme aimed at increasing housing supply. Increased supply should have positive effects on affordability and curb inflation as suggested in this question.

Question 109: I know that you want to help people sustain and improve their health, especially in disadvantaged areas. I just wonder why you chose one of the most affluent areas of Fife to hold this here tonight?

Question 108: Revitalisation of Cupar town centre and opening of the trading estate hinge critically on a bypass. How do we get some contribution coming both from local and national government?

Answer: It would initially be for Fife Council to consider funding issues as this is a local road project. The Council has enquired about funding for a northern relief road and has been informed by the Scottish Government that it should first undertake a transport appraisal and give careful consideration to the prioritisation of its own resources. If the Council is able to demonstrate that the project is of a regionally significant nature or a scale which it cannot realistically resource then the next step would be for the council to make representations to the regional transport partnership (RTP) to consider the project in the regional transport strategy. The Scottish Government provides funding to the RTP for use on projects included in its regional transport strategy.

Question 107: A decision will soon be made on a new Forth crossing, whether it be a bridge or a tunnel. Either way one of those will debauch into Fife onto inadequate roads and poorly surfaced roads. There never seems to be enough money to either repair roads or improve them. Is it possible the Scottish Executive would look at that in tandem with the new crossing?

Answer: The Scottish Government will be considering funding levels to local authorities for local roads maintenance and improvement in the context of the current Spending Review. The outcome of the Spending Review is expected to be announced later in the Autumn.

Answer: This question covers a huge range of issues, about how we provide services - particularly health and community care services - both now and in the future. Building a Health Service Fit for the Future (the Kerr Report) (May 2005) was a thorough review of the future shape of the NHS in Scotland, taking account of demographic pressures, the changing expectations of patients, improvements in healthcare technology, and workforce legislation and pressures. It signals a move towards preventive care and management of long term conditions as the right approach for the 21st century, reflecting the needs of an older population in particular. Chapter 4 of the report, 'Changing the Balance of Care', is particularly relevant to these issues.

In its response Delivering for Health (October 2005), the Scottish Executive recognized these challenges and set out a new vision for service delivery, based on:

· a fundamental shift in the way the NHS works, from an acute, hospital-driven service to one that is community based;

· a focus on meeting the twin challenges of an ageing population and the rising incidence of long-term conditions;

· a concentration on preventing ill-health and treating people faster and closer to home;

· a determination to develop responses that are proactive, modern, safe and set in communities.

The Range and Capacity Review Group's report The Future Care of Older People in Scotland (Scottish Executive: May 2006) looked at these pressures for community care, and the links between community care services and the health service.

The Scottish Government are providing increased resources through the local authority revenue settlement, with increased provision specifically for:

· increasing number of elderly people - an additional £16.3m for 2006-07 and £42m for 2007-08.

· Free Personal and Nursing Care - £153m for 2005-06, rising to £162m in 2006-07 and £169m in 2007-08.

· Care Home Fees, we are investing an additional £37m in 2006-07 and £57.5m in 2007-08.

Thus provision being made for the care of older people in Scotland is already increasing substantially, and is met from taxation.

Question 104: Are there any funding streams which support Health and Wellbeing objectives that could be accessed through a joint bid by local partners?

Answer: The Scottish Government provides funding to the voluntary sector for a variety of purposes. Details of the various schemes, application forms etc. can be accessed using the following link : http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/15300

The £20 million Mental Health Specific Grant supports local mental health projects across Scotland, through the local authorities in partnership with the Scottish Government. Any organisation, or group of organisations, who wish to apply for funding should contact their relevant local authority. More information can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/mental-health/servicespolicy/Finance/MHSG"

Voluntary Action Orkney has a funding advice service. Details are on the organisation's website at http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/vao/index.asp?pageid=438

Question 104: Can the Cabinet Secretary re-assure us that the new Scottish Rural Development Plan will be sufficiently funded, when approved, to meet the demand from farmers who wish to carry out environmental improve-ments and thus avoid the 2006 debacle with the Rural Stewardship Scheme where acceptance rates were so low due to insufficient funds. An unfortunate example has come to light in Orkney of a farmer who, when the bar was raised once again, just failed to reach the requisite number of points for RSS entry and was so disillusioned with the system that he has destroyed the excellent wetland area that he had created.

Further, could we ask what the Cabinet Secretary is doing to provide support for those whose ESA, RSS or Organic Aid agreements are coming to an end before the new SRDP is approved - can he provide some form of interim support for these farmers so as to ensure they are not forced to 'un-do' the positive environmental gains of the last 5-10 years?

Answer: Total funding for the SRDP is £1.6bn, of which £404m is for agri-environment measures. Continuing funding for existing agreements will cost £171m, with the balance of £233m available to fund new agreements. This compares with the total of £110m available for agri-environment agreements under the previous SRDP. Destroying a semi-natural habitat such as a wetland could be a breach of GAEC and could affect a farmer's Single Farm Payment.

Rural Stewardship Scheme agreements expiring in 2006 were extended for a year, under the terms of an amendment to the EU's Rural Development Regulation. There is no legal basis on which the Government can extend agreements expiring in 2007. We are doing all we can to ensure the new SRDP is approved as quickly as possible, and this is expected in November. That will enable land managers to apply for agri-environment funding in the Spring of 2008 and first payments for new agreements will be made later in 2008.

Question 103: The Tweed Foundation, supported by European, national and private funds, has undertaken substantial actions to develop riparian buffer zones in the Tweed catchment. These buffer zones are known to reduce pollution, both directly and by interception, to promote natural biodiversity by diversifying habitat creation, to enhance instream fauna and flora by stabilising river courses and consolidating the fluvial channels and, in so doing, providing economic benefit through enhanced fisheries production and eco-tourism. Such are the benefits of buffer zones that they are now widely accepted as being sine qua non for cross compliance. With the demise of the Rural Stewardship Scheme which promoted these zones, will the Minister consider ways in which The Scottish Government could encourage farmers and landowners to build on the important progress that has been made in restoring and protecting Scotland's environment in this respect both on arable and pastoral land?

Question 102: The agri-environmental payment rates are based on income forgone, however with recent steep rises in grain prices is there any method in which to increase environmental payment rates for those options where income forgone has been calculated using cereal cropping gross margins to reflect the increased amount of income forgone since the initial calculations were made?

Question 101: Cupar Public Transport in north east Fife is depended upon because it's a rural area, but it's too expensive, buses in particular. The third off that under 16s get for a single fare with their National Entitlement card is not enough. And this is for people specifically under the age of 16 who are in full time education. Are there future plans to make public transport cheaper?

Question 100: Would the Minister consider allocating special support finance to outlying areas in order that they can purchase vehicles and other transport that meets the special needs of our environment and weather? (Transport is a big issue for the outlying Isles and one that needs to be better addressed in terms of funding here in Orkney. The Shapinsay ferry is cut off for periods of the year because it is not suitable for extreme weather conditions, some of which appear to be increasing and becoming sustained. This is also a relevant issue for people with disabilities who tend to utilise public transport).

Answer: The Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant provides grants to local authorities specifically to improve transport measures in rural areas of Scotland. Local authorities have provided over 400 new and improved public transport services, mainly bus but also ferry, since the scheme was introduced in 1998. To date, Orkney Islands Council has been awarded £2.221m and has provided a number of new and enhanced public transport services through this funding. It is for the Council to decide its rural transport priorities and allocate funding accordingly. In addition, the Rural Community Transport Initiative assists voluntary groups and organisations to provide community transport services in the more remote areas of Scotland where there are no scheduled public transport services or where they are very limited. 167 projects across Scotland have received funding including 8 in Orkney who were awarded a total of over £607,000.

These grant schemes will end on 31 March 2008 and from 1 April 2008 will be replaced by a new Enhanced Demand Responsive Transport Initiative which will aim to deliver more demand responsive transport services across Scotland, improving public transport provision and creating greater accessibility for many people. Regional Transport Partnerships will manage the new scheme and will be free to use the grant as they see fit taking into account transport needs and circumstances in their area. Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HiTRANS) will be responsible for implementing the new Initiative in the Highlands and Islands including Orkney. With regard to the Shapinsey Ferry, the reliability of the ferry is a matter for Orkney Islands Council and Orkney Ferries.

Question 99: Large areas of the countryside still have no mobile phone coverage which makes it difficult for rural businesses to diversify, and it also has safety implications for people living in those areas, as well as visiting. The previous administration tackled the lack of broadband coverage. Will the new administration tackle the mobile phone coverage problem?

Answer: The Government does not have a policy to improve mobile phone coverage - and no such policy or legislation around this exists elsewhere in the UK. Telecoms regulation in the UK is reserved, and Ofcom, the regulator, is responsible for the license conditions under which mobile operators operate. We can, however, advise that the regulatory environment encourages mast sharing and roaming agreements, which have the potential to improve coverage in areas poorly-served by specific networks. Ofcom is currently exploring how benefits for public safety derived from such agreements can be realised. In particular it is engaged in discussions with relevant parties to enable 999 emergency calls to be made over other mobile networks when the caller is out of range of their own provider's network coverage.

Question 97: Where there is a paucity of public transport, would the Scottish Executive agree that it is important for rural communities to have a local centre in which service providers can be offered accommodation to meet their clients? Will the Scottish Executive ensure that adequate funding is put in place to allow these communities to build such accommodation or will such facilities be provided by Government?

Answer: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of accessible services and facilities in helping rural communities to thrive. The Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 contains a funding option designed to support the development of community facilities. Some £32m over 7 years has been set against the provision of leisure, recreation, sporting, catering and other rural community services and facilities, including village and community halls. Government is keen that communities can take full advantage of these new opportunities opening up. Some £4 million has been earmarked under the programme to assist with the development of collaborative local development strategies. In addition, some £41m has been earmarked for the LEADER initiative which is designed to operate at local level and encourage local innovation.

Question 93: Several studies show that the Islay economy would benefit from cheaper, more efficient ferry services with substantially increased capacity. In light of the sabotaged tender process, when will the Islay ferry route either be privatised (run by islanders for islanders) or radically reorganise to provide a modern, fast, year round service for the benefit of the year round Islanders, their year round clients and their year round businesses?

Answer: Local transport needs are assessed, in the first instance, by the Regional Transport Partnerships ( RTP), in conjunction with their transport partners. The RTP for the Dumfries & Galloway area is South West of Scotland Transport Partnership. They have recently submitted their Regional Transport Strategy to the Scottish Ministers for approval. It identifies transport priorities for the South West of Scotland, including rail, bus, walking and cycling and assesses options for improving transport links. They have also included a region-wide rail station strategy which details an aspiration for new stations at Thornhill, Eastriggs, Beattock and Dunragit.

In considering proposals for new stations, the desire to attract new users must be balanced against the needs of existing passengers. New stations will be considered where the surrounding population, workplace or visitor need is sufficient to generate a high level of demand, and would be expected to be serviced by feeder rather than inter-urban service.

Question 82: Wind power gets a great deal of air time and grant assistance and it is essential that more money is spent on research and development of other, potentially more efficient, renewable forms of energy.

Question 81: Given the fact that wind power produces electricity randomly and unpredictably and cannot provide the country with "base load" electricity what steps will you take to ensure that our landscape and tourist industry are not ruined by sub-optimal developments such as the proposed Harestanes one in the Ae Forest and the numerous other proposed developments which the ROCS subsidy system is encouraging energy firms to put forward on every piece of beautiful landscape in the region?

Question 80: Caithness and Sutherland currently have 33 operational, approved or planning cases submitted for windfarms. Caithness already produces over 85MW from wind turbines which is far more than it actually consumes and more than is required as a "contribution" to the Scottish or UK needs on a per-head basis. I am unaware of a "turbine density" of this magnitude anywhere else in the country. Highland Region also produces considerably more electricity from renewable sources that it either needs or would be as a contribution to Scotland or the UK on a "per-head" basis. As a whole, Scotland currently exports about 6700MW (continuous) to England. England still needs further imports from Northern Ireland and France to keep up with demand. The SNP's Energy Review acknowledged the fact that Scotland generates six time the energy it needs, and recommended a cap on building further on-shore windfarms. I would fully concur with this view, and would like to see responsible Local and National energy policy and planning which combine reliable, controllable and predictable low carbon energy supplies with adequate protection of our fragile environment, countryside and communities. It is therefore pretty obvious that Scotland does not need to produce any more wind power stations. Any which are built will be for export hence should be close to the border and not located in the distant Highlands. This gives better value-for-money and carbon returns to investors - which through higher electricity prices are us all. Wind powers stations in remote areas are likely to cause long-term job losses in the tourist (and associated) industries and bring nothing in return. They are destroying our unique wilderness and landscape character through massive industrialisation. Given that Scotland are ahead of their energy targets, will the Executive please consider a two or three year moratorium on any decisions regarding wind farms, in order to (a) allow other technologies (wave, tidal, solar) to catch up, (b) to help preserve what remains of our shrinking wilderness and (c) to consider a long-term energy strategy for Scotland, similar to that which Highland Council carried out in 2006?

Answer: The emerging Inshore Fisheries Groups ( IFGs) aim to establish the primary localised forum through which commercial fishermen can focus their expertise, working to develop opportunities and advise on local solutions to fisheries issues in the area. The Groups' work will be done in partnership with expert advisors and in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. Knowledge and advice from IFGs will feed in directly to the Marine Directorate's management of sea fisheries and of the wider marine environment. To ensure that IFGs are as effective as possible and that they can properly meet the expectations of all stakeholders, the Marine Directorate has been consulting over the summer on how best to improve governance of our inshore fisheries and the role that IFGs will play in the fisheries management system. We anticipate that announcements on the way ahead will be made in autumn.

Coastal and Marine National Parks may have a role to play in the future but there are a number of more pressing priorities facing Scotland's seas and coastal communities, including simplification of the complex regulatory system for the marine environment. I do not in principle have an objection to a Coastal and Marine National Park if there is local support but would wish to address these other priorities first. I am currently considering how and when we will make progress in relation to both this work and the wider context of the management of our marine environment.

Answer: At the moment we don't have the legislative powers to establish directly elected mayors. There are of course a number of other fora at local levels to support local democracy.

Question 76: The right mix of housing and pricing is needed to provide the appropriate housing ladder. Flats for the young, apartments for the old and small families and houses for larger families. Will the minister advocate a more enlightened planning policy that reflects Islay's specific needs?

Answer: Housing is a priority for the Scottish Government. We are committed to increasing the supply of housing where it is most needed. Local authorities are required to undertake regular assessments of housing needs and conditions in their area and to produce a local housing strategy ( LHS) and under Scottish Planning Policy 3 ( SPP3) they should reflect this assessment of housing needs when preparing development plans.

One of the provisions within the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 is that planning authorities will be required to ensure that development plans are updated every 5 years. This will help local authorities to be better placed to look at trends in the housing market and adjust their housing strategies as appropriate. As each local authority has different housing requirements it would be inappropriate for the Scottish government to dictate to local authorities what type of housing should be built in their areas.

Planning policy on housing in the countryside is contained in Scottish Planning Policy 15: Planning for Rural Development. The overall message is that there is considerable scope for allowing more developments of small scale rural housing including clusters and groups in close proximity to settlements. The Scottish government is also currently in the process of reviewing SPP3 on housing and we will be seeking views from all stakeholders on how best to use this review to ensure that the planning system continues to play its part in ensuring sufficient housing is provided of the right quality and in the right place to meet assessed needs.

Question 75: Current enterprise investment is too vague. In order to provide the right framework for nascent and developing businesses to grow, a one-shop-stop business cooperative staffed by skilled personnel capable of providing proactive professional business management tools, equipment and services is needed. Would the minister support this private/public initiative that would provide the hands-on services required to allow businesses to grow?

Answer: The HIE Network offers a comprehensive range of support to ensure that new entrepreneurs get their business off to the best possible start. The Local Enterprise Companies provide one-stop-shop guidance for business start-ups combining financial assistance as well as on-going advice and training on e.g. business plan development, financial planning and market research. The advice is provided by skilled self-employed advisors who have often themselves first-hand experience of dealing with starting a business.

Answer: A number of organisations already exist in both the public and voluntary sector that can help with practical advice on environmental action. Scottish Natural Heritage for example and Forestry Commission Scotland along with many more specialised organisations such as the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers ( BTCV), are also ready and willing to help. We are committed to ensuring closer working across the public and voluntary sector to make it easy for people to get the information they need.

Answer: Land managers that receive funding under Rural Development Contracts (formerly Land Management Contracts) are expected to inform their local access authority of their funded path/route. This spring, my officials wrote to everyone receiving funding for access related work to remind them to submit maps to their local access authority. We expect that access authorities will the use this information as they prepare their core paths plans and local access strategies.

Answer: Access authorities do not have a statutory responsibility to maintain core paths. Funding for access related work is provided to local authorities as part of their GAE settlement. However, in line with all local authority funding this money is not ring fenced and it is for each authority to determine how to allocate funds according to their own needs and priorities.

We anticipate that local authorities will continue to make use of a variety of sources of funding for access work including Scottish Natural Heritage grants. The Land Management Contract money referred to is part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme funding. Funding to land managers via the SRDP will continue to be a source of funding for core paths and for the wider path network.

Answer: We recognise the potential benefits to communities of good local horticulture and I am in the process of developing a new food policy and want to have a wide ranging consultation with the Scottish food industry and the public to discuss what the policy may involve. Topics will certainly include local food, organic food and growing your own food and I would welcome views on these issues once the discussion is launched.

Question 68: Would the Minister support Loan Action Scotland making interest-free loans to farmers to install small to medium-scale wind turbines to offset their greenhouse gas emissions?

Answer: The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the use of microrenewable technologies and supports a coherent approach to energy policy, recognising that promoting reduced energy consumption and promoting low carbon technologies are key to achieving sustainable economic growth.

The Loan Action Scotland scheme supports projects which deliver good carbon savings and have a payback period of less than 5 years. Projects which fit this criteria are usually those that make investments in energy efficiency measures. Small to medium-size wind turbines generally result in much longer payback periods, usually in excess of 10 years, and as such there is currently no plan to review the criteria for Loan Action Scotland in this way.

However, Scotland's Rural Development Programme for 2007-13 includes provision to allow farmers, including tenant farmers, access to funding for the installation of small scale renewable energy capacity including wind turbines. The Programme is currently with the European Commission and we hope to have their approval to its implementation before the end of this year.

We support the principles of the Scottish Compact, which was explicit that Government will work with the sector to develop both policy, practice and to identify and overcome barriers. Government does not commission many services directly; that role falls to local authorities and other public bodies, but Ministers expect to see the sector play a role in the development and delivery of services, and there's also an important role to play in enabling local communities to make their voice heard in Community Planning. That is a role we want to encourage.

Moving on to social enterprise specifically, we are committed to helping develop sustainable social enterprises. We are doing this initially through the social enterprise strategy which sets out an action plan in four areas:

· Raising the profile and demonstrating the value of social enterprise

· Opening up new markets to social enterprise

· Increasing the range of finance available to develop social enterprise

· Developing the trading capacity of social enterprises by providing better business support

The action plan will be further developed to cover 2008-11.

Answer: Although the final funding round has passed, the Rural Community Transport Initiative does not close until 31 March 2008. From April 2008, RTPs will be required to honour ongoing funding commitments to current RCTI projects. As 77% of current RCTI projects have ongoing funding agreements into 2008-09, these will certainly continue into 2008-09 at least.

In addition, minimum targets for demand responsive transport ( DRT) spend will be negotiated with individual RTPs. Although RTPs will be free to decide how they spend their budgets in order to achieve these targets, they understand that activities carried out by current RCTI projects and any other community transport groups, which they wish to fund from April 2008 under the new Enhanced DRT Initiative, will count towards the targets.

Answer: The quality of Scotland's natural heritage is fundamental to its economic success and to our quality of life. Sustainable management of our natural resources contributes to the success of our primary industries and our expanding tourism sector. Regulation of activity which has the potential to affect the natural heritage needs to be proportionate and should be based on assessment of risk in order to ensure that it does not impose unnecessary burdens on economic development.

Question 64: With the world concern at Global Warming and the effect of greenhouse gases recent research has increasingly shown the neutralizing effect peat moorlands have in absorbing carbon dioxide. Blanket bog peat acts like a giant sponge soaking up and storing vast amounts of carbon dioxide, one of the major greenhouse gases. Scientists are now concerned that not maintaining or damaging these peat moorlands in the Flow Country of Caithness, many parts of England and especially in the Western Isles of Scotland would not only reduce this benefit but actually release vast amounts of carbon dioxide.

The plans for major onshore wind farm installations should be scrapped in favour of offshore installations nearer to areas of peak demand and more money and development put into tidal and wave power which Scotland has in abundance.

Answer: We cannot comment on the Lewis wind farm proposal as this is still with Scottish Ministers for a consent decision.

However, the Scottish Government is committed to creating and developing a wide range of renewable energy technologies including marine energy and offshore wind.

Earlier this year we granted £13 million of support to wave and tidal energy developers for further design and testing of their devices in Scotland. It is hoped this support will help take devices from the prototype stage to full scale market ready devices. We also amended the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) so that generating from wave and tidal is receives greater support than generating from onshore wind. We are also keen to support the offshore wind sector and later this year will begin a Strategic Environmental Assessment ( SEA) to help identify the most suitable locations.

The Scottish Government would also like to see the continued use of onshore wind where projects are properly sited and with greater community involvement. An energy seminar chaired by the Energy Minister will be held later this year to discuss how communities and developers can work closer together on projects and examine how communities can receive greater benefits.

Question 63: I wondered if you've any plans for following the lead of the Irish Government in making the wearing of a personal floatation device, and I do not like the word life jacket, a personal floatation device, compulsory for all fishermen and for all small boat users. I've been running a campaign through some of the press, and particularly a big help from The Fishing News, for some years, about 25 years of it now, and things are moving on but still people are being drowned I consider unnecessarily. The Irish Government have had this legislation in for several years and I just wondered if there are any plans to follow their lead?

Answer: We acknowledge that emission reductions in Scotland will, in themselves, make no difference to the global environment unless significant reductions in global emissions are realised. However, by taking a lead, Scotland can demonstrate to others what can be achieved. We want to demonstrate to other countries that a prosperous low-carbon economy is possible. We want our efforts to inspire others.

The Scottish Government is an active player in taking forward the Montreal Declaration which aims to strengthen links between regional governments across the world on tackling climate change, and which encourages sharing of experiences and best practice.

By showing leadership on climate change Scotland can become a global leader in developing solutions to the challenge of climate change. And our communities will be prepared for the impacts of climate change. We believe this will bring benefits for Scotland's people, economy and environment.

Answer: Housing is a priority for the Scottish Government and we are aware that there are pressures on affordable housing in some parts of the country. In the Scottish Borders, local housing investment priorities are agreed jointly by the local authority and Communities Scotland. These investment priorities are based on the Scottish Borders Council's Local Housing Strategy and evidence of housing need that is compiled locally.

This financial year, a record £7.2m of public funds has been allocated to support the provision of affordable housing in the Scottish Borders, an increase of over 9% compared with the 2006/07 allocation, and an increase of nearly 50% on the allocation the year before that.

Nearly 25% of the funding available this year from the GRO Grant Scheme will be spent on low cost home ownership provision - using the Rural Home Ownership Grant ( RHOG) and Homestake grant mechanisms. The Homestake shared equity scheme is increasingly being used as an alternative to the GRO Grant Scheme. This is because Homestake is a more flexible way of helping households on low incomes to own their home as it allows households to take an equity stake in the house - normally between 60 and 80 per cent of the price. It also offers a greater return to the public purse, which can then be used to provide more affordable housing in the local area.

The need to promote RHOGs better has been recognised. In 2006 Scottish Borders Council and Communities Scotland employed an agent - the Rural Housing Service - to promote and assess the scheme across the Scottish Borders. The Council and Communities Scotland have agreed to make eight grants available for successful applicants this year, but will consider increasing this number if there is appropriate demand.

Answer: It is the responsibility of the Health Boards to manage their capital investment process and in this instance the capital cost is now in excess of the NHS Highland delegated limit and therefore business cases have to be approved by the Scottish Government. We have indicated to NHS Highland that to assist in progressing this project NHS Highland may proceed direct to Outline Business Case stage. This is the principal document in the business case process which looks at the range of options, the risks and benefits of those options short-listed and the financial impact/affordability of the project. Once the Outline Business Case has been approved NHS Highland will proceed to develop a Full Business Case.

The projected timescale for acquisition of the site and design is that these will occur in 2008-2009 with construction work commencing in 2009-2010. This timescale now appears realistic and accordingly there is more than adequate time for the above business case process to be followed.

With regard to the capital cost of the project we are fully aware of the levels of construction cost inflation but it is for NHS Highland to manage its capital allocation and to prioritise projects in its area. However once we have received a draft of the Outline Business Case officials from the Health Directorates will be available to discuss with NHS Highland any issues including funding for and the affordability of the project.

Answer: The beaver is a formerly indigenous Scottish species which is missing from our countryside because it was hunted to extinction. Plans for its reintroduction are included in the SNH Species Action Framework, which identifies 32 species to benefit from new, targeted management efforts. The list of species for inclusion was drawn up following public consultation on the matter and covers a wide range of plants and animals. The Species Action Framework provides a basis for prioritising the efforts and resources of public bodies.

Answer: We recognise that health service models which are effective in urban areas may not be effective in remote and rural locations. We remain committed to ensuring that NHS Scotland further develops the model of remote and rural healthcare set out initially in Building a Health Service: Fit for the Future, built around extended primary care; Rural General Hospitals networked to larger centres; and robust emergency retrieval arrangements. Caithness General Hospital in Wick has been designated a "Rural General Hospital". These Rural General Hospitals will be networked with larger teaching Hospitals to support sustainability and quality of services, providing a suite of core services which reflects health care needs in remote and rural communities.

A Remote and Rural Steering Group has been established to develop this remote and rural framework and will report in the next few months. The Steering Group meets regularly and involves a wide range of stakeholders including NHS Chairs group, Rural Boards, NHS Education for Scotland, Scottish Partnership Forum , Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS 24, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Scottish Government. External stakeholders including CoSLA and the Scottish Health Council are also invited.

Answer: Scottish Ministers have appointed Reporters to conduct the Beauly to Denny public local inquiry and to report to Ministers their recommendations based on the evidence heard at inquiry and the written submissions submitted by parties involved. In this respect the Reporters are responsible for the running of the inquiry. The procedures for the inquiry were discussed and agreed with all parties to the inquiry at a series of 4 pre-inquiry meetings in October and November last year and were in accordance with the Inquiry Procedures Rules. These set out the principle of prior disclosure, whereby parties have to disclose the terms of their case well in advance of the inquiry in a series of timetabled exchanges, in the interests of fairness and efficiency. Where, during the course of the inquiry, any party has sought to lead new evidence, the Reporters have disallowed it unless it could be demonstrated that it could not have been lodged at the proper time, and the potentially prejudiced party has not objected to its late inclusion.

It is regrettable that at certain stages of the inquiry, documents have not been submitted by parties to the inquiry at agreed dates. The Reporters have concluded, reluctantly at this stage, to accept these documents in order that they are best placed to submit their recommendations to Scottish Ministers. The Reporters have however ensured that in these circumstances that no party has been prejudiced by any late submissions being accepted. I can offer my categorical assurance that the Reporters have been in no way instructed by any party as to what their recommendations should be and can confirm that the final decision in this instance will be taken by Scottish Ministers. A verbatim report of the inquiry was considered by the Reporters but rejected, firstly on the basis of cost but also due to the impact it would have on the running of the inquiry. I am satisfied that the inquiry is being run in a robust, open and fair way and look forward to receiving the Reporters recommendations in due course. Finally I would confirm that any further application for wind farms, in any area, will be considered on its own merits.

Answer: The vast majority of planning applications decided annually are for small-scale changes to commercial or industrial buildings or work by householders to alter their properties. Decisions on planning applications for these types of developments which are local in nature, should be taken at the local level.

In particular many such local developments will be consistent with the terms of the development plan, and can be processed by planning officers. The delegation of decisions to planning officials or a single committee member is nothing new, delegation already operates successfully in most Councils (last year in Scotland over 85% of planning decisions were delegated to officials). It does not affect the requirements for publicity and engagement on planning applications or the ability of individuals, organisations and local people to make their views known. The new Planning Etc (Scotland) Act 2006 includes provisions for wider use to be made of delegated powers. We will consult later this year on related secondary legislation, and in doing so we want to avoid being overly prescriptive, to ensure planning authorities have scope to develop schemes which are appropriate to local circumstances whilst improving the efficiency of the planning process overall.

This approach enables elected members to focus their attention on the more controversial or complex applications - the types of applications which would not fall within the terms of the scheme of delegation, such as those subject to significant or substantial bodies of objection or which are significantly contrary to the development plan.

Elected members would also under the new proposals have a role in reviewing decisions which had been delegated and decided by planning officials. In these cases applicants will have the right to seek a review of the officers decision. The review will be carried out by a local review body, made up a small number of locally elected members. A key benefit would be that the vast majority of review would be decided quickly and locally, recognising that local authorities are best placed to take decisions on local matters. Appeals against decisions made by the Council at committee would continue to be to Scottish Ministers.

Please see the answer to the question below. To that I would add that one of the great strengths of SCHRI is how advice and support is provided to community groups. Development officers cover different areas of Scotland and help signpost groups to the various sources of assistance available as well as advising on applying for SCHRI grants. The scheme is facilitating the build up of knowledge and expertise in the community groups themselves and bringing them together to benefit from that shared experience. Further detail on the scheme is available from http://www.est.org.uk/schri. There are two public forums to highlight: Community Action for Energy ( CAfE) has a helpful web resource located at http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/cafe); and the Scottish Community Renewables Network ( SCRN). Further information on SCRN is available from http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/schri/community/scrn/. General advice is also available from the Energy Saving Trust, whose activities in Scotland are funded by us. The Trust has a website at http://www.est.org.uk.

Answer: We are committed to increasing the use of microgeneration technologies as it has the potential to provide a sustainable source of low carbon energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from buildings. It will be part of a coherent approach to energy policy, recognising that promoting reduced energy consumption and promoting low carbon technologies are key to achieving sustainable economic growth. Jim Mather, the Minister for Enterprise, Energy & Tourism, has already started a dialogue with key stakeholders and this will continue so as to ensure a clear and shared energy strategy and achievement of objectives.

Our objective is to increase levels of microgeneration and we are committed to increasing funding to help achieve this. The Executive will set out its plans for funding as part of our first Spending Review. This will build on the success of the Scottish Communities and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) which has already helped install a number of systems since its inception in 2003. SCHRI has also helped to raise awareness of, and confidence in, micro-renewables -something which is key to supporting the emerging industry which I would like to see continuing to grow, reaching out to a wider market. Stewart Stevenson, the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change has also recently announced the constitution of an expert panel on building standards that will meet this September. Revisions to the energy standards in Scottish Building regulations will be kick-started by this meeting and the issue of low and zero carbon technologies, such as micro-renewables will be on the agenda.

Scottish Planning Policy note 6 ( SPP6) on renewable energy looks to local authority development plans to include policies on the provision of on-site low carbon and renewable sources of energy in new developments. For development proposals with over 500 sq.metres of cumulative floorspace the expectation is that on-site zero and low carbon equipment should contribute at least an extra 15% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions beyond the 2007 building standards requirements.

Answer: That is a matter for the Comhairle and it would be inappropriate for Ministers to comment. However, we do support the Comhairle in wanting communities to reap more benefits from renewable energy, not just wind farms but also the wider range of technologies including innovative marine energy, hydrogen, biomass and fuel cell projects as well as microrenewables for our homes and workplaces - all of which can play a vital role in tackling climate change while helping grow a sustainable economy.

Answer: We are pleased that HIE has formed, together with the two other key agencies, NDA and Highland Council, the Caithness Regeneration Partnership to take forward an Action Plan to secure a diverse and sustainable economy post Dounreay. The Partnership has recently recruited an Inward Investment Manager to help attract new jobs to the area and is in the process of recruiting a Programme Manager to help deliver the priorities set out in the Action Plan.

UHI Millennium Institute is involved in the provision of training opportunities for the renewables sector and Caithness-based firms will benefit from an award from the Scottish Funding Council for the further development of marine renewables. With its strong engineering base and proximity to the Pentland Firth, the area is well-placed to benefit from the development of tidal power.

Answer: We a cknowledge that the decommissioning of the Dounreay nuclear site poses significant challenges to Caithness and Sutherland, but challenges can also bring opportunities for diversifying, developing and growing an economy that has been reliant on the nuclear industry for many years.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise ( HIE) has invested considerable resources in maximising the opportunities offered by decommissioning. An extra £12m funding - a 50% increase on the current budget allocation for the area - will be used over the next three years to help address the challenges posed to the area's economy. Several projects have received considerable support from HIE including the Janetstown Trials and Test Centre and the development of Wick, Thurso and Golspie Business Park, which has already facilitated the creation of over 600 jobs.

We are pleased that HIE has formed, together with the two other key agencies, NDA and Highland Council, the Caithness Regeneration Partnership to take forward an Action Plan to secure a diverse and sustainable economy post Dounreay. The Partnership has recently recruited an Inward Investment Manager to help attract new jobs to the area and is in the process of recruiting a Programme Manager to help deliver the priorities set out in the Action Plan.

Answer: We know that we need young Scots to choose to remain in Scotland to live and work, in order to help Scotland's economy prosper. We are aware that there are pressures on affordable housing in some parts of the country, and that for some, realising their housing aspirations can be difficult. The Scottish Housing Support Fund, as set out in our manifesto commitments, will look to expand shared equity provision to help more first time buyers. In addition, we have set up a Ministerial Housing Supply Task Force, to tackle the blockages which are stopping the delivery of all types of housing across Scotland. These measures will be part of further, future work, which will also include proposals for reform of the social housing sector, which will look to get better value and improve the deal for existing tenants and those in housing need.

Turning specifically to this area, we are pleased that increasing funding has been able to be directed through Communities Scotland to Dumfries and Galloway in recent years. This has grown from a budget of £4.7 million in 2004/05 to £12.7 million for 2007/08 which will allow some 200 new homes to be approved. The vast majority of this funding is directed to Registered Social Landlords ( RSLs) , to increase the supply of new homes for rent with an element also providing homes for owner occupation through Communities Scotland's shared equity Homestake scheme. In addition to this funding, Dumfries and Galloway Council is working with its partners of RSLs, Dumfries and Galloway Small Communities Housing Trust and Communities Scotland to consider how monies available through the discount on Council tax for Second Homes can be used to meet the housing needs of smaller communities and settlements across the area and so help provide for local people.

Answer: Both the EU controls and our own domestic legislation which give effect to the ban on burial on-farm require that carcases are collected and transported in a manner which minimises the risk to public and animal health. Adherence to the Executive's Biosecurity Code is essential; furthermore the use of leakproof vehicles is a statutory requirement. Clearly that is not the case in your experience and should not be tolerated. Such contraventions should be immediately reported to the local authority for enforcement action and to also the Fallen Stock Scheme helpline number, 0845 054 8888, who will take corrective action with the collection agent.

Question 41: We are told that set aside payments have been very good news for the environment and conservation of a wide range of species. How will the SNP ensure that these benefits are not lost when set aside is scrapped at the end of this year?

Answer: The published strategy of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority makes clear the commitment to the socio-economic well-being of the area. It further emphasises the commitment to work closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to ensure that adequate monitoring continues and to implement the selected Best Practicable Environmental Option for managing the particles issue.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise ( HIE) has invested considerable resources in maximising the opportunities offered by decommissioning. An extra £12m funding - a 50 per cent increase on the current budget allocation for the area - will be used over the next three years to help address the challenges posed to the area's economy. Several projects have received considerable support from HIE including the Janetstown Trials and Test Centre and the development of Wick, Thurso and Golspie Business Park, which has already facilitated the creation of over 600 jobs.

We are pleased that HIE has formed, together with the two other key agencies, NDA and Highland Council, the Caithness Regeneration Partnership to take forward an Action Plan to secure a diverse and sustainable economy post Dounreay. The Partnership has recently recruited an Inward Investment Manager to help attract new jobs to the area and is in the process of recruiting a Programme Manager to help deliver the priorities set out in the Action Plan.

Answer: There is no doubt that recent events have seen greater pressures being placed upon fire and rescue services as well as our other emergency services. It is very important therefore that my colleagues and I continue to keep the capacity of our Fire and Rescue Services to respond to these types of national emergencies under review. As part of that, we are in discussion with Fire and Rescue Services on these issues and are currently considering the findings of a review of Scotland's preparedness to deal with simultaneous major emergencies which has been undertaken by HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services.

Question 37: Your election manifesto stated that you would explore how the planning regime can be made more sympathetic to the needs of farmers and the rural sector to help promote rural development. You will be aware that Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 15: Rural Development is very supportive of rural development but that many local planning authorities are either ignoring its application, or giving it insufficient weight, in the determination of planning applications and the development of local planning policy. This is becoming a major issue. A further cause for concern is the Consultation Paper on Guidance for Sustainable Development published earlier this year which promotes a very prescriptive approach to rural development and one that mitigates against the sympathetic approach you espouse. I know that planning is not in your remit but I would ask that you maintain a very close relationship with your fellow Minister if the planning system is to deliver in rural Scotland what you clearly wish it to.

Answer: Achieving growth in the Scottish economy is the central priority of this government. Sustainable rural development is part of that. Planning in Scotland is undergoing reform, with overall objectives of ensuring a system which is fit for purpose, efficient, inclusive and sustainable. We are aware of indications that not all local authorities have made rapid progress in applying policy contained in SPP 15 and we are currently looking at measures to assess its implementation. Scottish Ministers will continue to work closely together on policies and proposals affecting rural areas, and the preparation of the second National Planning Framework will play an important part in this process.

Answer: We understand that the process to progress this scheme is well advanced in NHS Highland. A radiographer has been appointed to support scanning services and will work on protocols and training programmes for all staff prior to the scanner being installed. Enabling works are required including the relocation of the physiotherapy gym and building work to accommodate the scanner early in 2008.

Question 32: Can Mr Russell outline how Ministerial thinking lies in terms of rural development and the primary sector, cutting food miles and developing the food and drink sector?

Answer: The Scottish Government made a number of manifesto commitments with respect to food, and the rural based primary sectors. In essence, this government is seeking to enhance the food supply chain in Scotland providing benefits to producers, processors, retailers, food outlets and consumers. Commitments covered a range of issues, such as increasing the availability of locally produced affordable, nutritious food, promoting food co-ops, food hubs and encouraging the use of fresh, local food in the public sector. We are currently considering how such issues might be taken forward within the context of the development of a national food policy, consistent with the Scottish Government's five strategic objectives.

Answer: Transport Scotland has engaged a firm of consulting engineers to investigate alternatives at Berriedale Brae's on the A9, 10 miles north of Helmsdale. Several options have been assessed and these are being considered in the Strategic Projects Transport Review ( STPR) which will report back in the summer of 2008 and will outline Scotland's future programme of investment from 2012 for the next ten years.

Since the STPR will take some time to report, a temporary scheme is being considered to improve the passage of heavy goods vehicles through the tight bends, particularly for northbound vehicles. These proposals include the use of vehicle-activated signs and or signals and are will be discussed with Highland Council in the coming month. Until these consultations are complete it is not possible to provide more information at this time.

Funds for transport projects are limited and we must therefore target these resources to gain maximum benefit. Given the strategic nature of proposals on the rail network, we would expect the regional transport partnership in the area concerned to have identified the need for possible rail proposals through the development of its regional transport strategy.

Rail proposals which require Scottish Executive funding or support need to be identified through the process as set out in the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance. Potential interventions will be subject to a rigorous assessment of their value for money and affordability and may subsequently be considered, depending on the strength of case, through the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

In addition, the Highland Room for Growth Study considered, amongst other routes, the Far North Line (Inverness to Thurso and Wick) for potential development. The aim of the study (for each line of route) was to:

· Analyse present timetables which operate over the routes, recommending where improvements could be made and how more efficient use of existing resources might be managed;

· Discuss the possible enhancements to train services, as laid down by the clients and consulted bodies, and what solutions may be required from a line capacity point of view;

· As a result of desired increase to train services to discuss the essential engineering requirements that will need to be considered to attain the desired line capacity to make timetables robust; and

· To provide an estimateof the associated costs of both provision of additional resources to operate the enhanced services and provision of certain engineering solutions that have been brought forward for consideration.

The Highland Room for Growth Study considered the Dornoch Crossing. The cost was high and the benefits low resulting in a low benefit to cost ratio. Consequently Transport Scotland is not considering any further action on this crossing.

Wick Airport is operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd ( HIAL), a company owned by Scottish Ministers and resourced by the Scottish Executive. HIAL and the Executive are working together to continue improving the list of air services available from Wick and in the Highlands and Islands more generally. In addition, as a Scheme which reduces the cost of air travel, the Air Discount Scheme has proved popular with local residents since its introduction in May 2006. In 2006/07, nearly 33,000 passengers flew to and from Wick Airport, an increase of 6% on the previous year.

The Executive's ports policy reflects the fact that the ports industry operates in a competitive, commercial environment and ports infrastructure should be commercially funded. The exception to this rule is lifeline ferry services to the Highlands & Islands which are not commercially viable and dependent on subsidy.

The bus market operates largely on a commercial basis and service provision is generally based on passenger demand and financial viability. Under these arrangements, individual operators determine service routes and frequencies entirely at their own discretion.

Beyond these commercial decisions, local transport authorities are responsible for ensuring that bus services in their area meet local needs. Under the Transport Act 1985, they have a duty to identify where there is a social need for particular bus services and to subsidise these at their discretion. Whilst the Executive provides substantial resources through the local government finance settlement for this purpose, spending decisions are taken by the authorities themselves based on local needs and priorities.

We fully recognise the challenge in running bus services in rural areas due to the geographically disparate population and lower passenger numbers. In implementing the Bus Action Plan we are working with operators, transport authorities and other industry stakeholder on a range of policy measures to improve the quality of bus service provision across the country. This includes more effective transport planning and a review of Scottish government funding for bus services.

Answer: We a cknowledge that the decommissioning of the Dounreay nuclear site poses significant challenges to Caithness and Sutherland, but challenges can also bring opportunities for diversifying, developing and growing an economy that has been reliant on the nuclear industry for many years.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has invested considerable resources in maximising the opportunities offered by decommissioning. The extra £12m funding - a 50 per cent increase on the current budget allocation for the area - will be used over the next three years to help address the challenges posed to the area's economy. Several projects have received considerable support from HIE including the Janetstown Trials and Test Centre and the development of Wick, Thurso and Golspie Business Park, which has already facilitated the creation of over 600 jobs.

We're pleased that HIE has formed, together with the two other key agencies, NDA and Highland Council, the Caithness Regeneration Partnership to take forward an Action Plan to secure a diverse and sustainable economy post Dounreay. The Partnership has recently recruited an Inward Investment Manager to help attract new jobs to the area and is in the process of recruiting a Programme Manager to help deliver the priorities set out in the Action Plan.

In Dumfries and Galloway, Government agencies are working with Dumfries and Galloway Council, supporting the implementation of their strategy for regenerating Dumfries town centre. For example, Communities Scotland has indicated its willingness to support strategic residential developments within the town centre upon completion of the Council's own analysis of housing need in the town. Communities Scotland is also involved in Neighbourhood Renewal in Dumfries.

Answer: We intend to publish, within 100 days of taking office, a White Paper outlining our vision for an independent Scotland within an interdependent world and how to progress towards that goal, including the concept of a referendum . The Government recognises that not all parties represented in the current Parliament support the concept of Independence, but that a majority of members are in favour of further constitutional change. The Government therefore hopes that the White Paper will stimulate a "national conversation", canvassing opinion not only within the Parliament, but with all the people of Scotland.

Question 11: Wigtownshire has a low wage economy, and I believe the average wage is approximately £2,000 below that of Dumfries. By what means can you possibly redress this?

Answer: Sustainable economic growth for all areas of Scotland is our number one priority. This is why a Council of Economic Advisers has been created to advise the First Minister on the best way to improve Scotland's sustainable economic growth rate. We should be under no illusions about the scale of the challenge, but the creation of a high earning economy is essential if we are to succeed.

The overall investment by the public sector to date is in the region of £10.7 million and although the initial action plan has now been completed, the partners commitments to 'step change' projects will continue for several years. For example, Communities Scotland is involved in the Aberdeenshire Towns Partnership, which recently expanded its programme of work to include Banff and Macduff.. These have the objective of making a major impact on the economy of North East Scotland and are:

• North Fraserburgh Regeneration - one of North East Scotland's largest urban regeneration projects.
• Peterhead Energy/Environmental Industries - exploiting the huge opportunities that exist around Peterhead's key assets of waste management, engineering expertise and infrastructure (particularly the harbour and available industrial land) including the development of high value offshore oil and gas decommissioning activities.
• Banffshire Coast Tourism Development - promotion of the unique coastline, built heritage and cultural activities and development of the area as a visitor destination particularly around the key communities of Banff and Macduff

A recent evaluation of the project found that it had delivered improved economic performance and renewed confidence amongst the business base in these coastal/rural communities. It has delivered significant economic benefits, high value for money and a strong return on investment.

Transport Scotland is working with Aberdeen City Council and NESTRANS to identify improvements to the A90/A96 Haudagain roundabout and also address transport movement problems from south Aberdeen into and out of the city.

Answer: There are measures in place to deal with many types of antisocial behaviour ( graffiti, littering, dog fouling etc) but we plan to take a fresh look at our antisocial behaviour strategy to see where it can be strengthened and improved and how we can ensure greater community involvement. We need to hear from those affected by this type of behaviour about the way we can work together to make our communities better places to live and work in. We need people to continue to report incidents such as these to the police and local authorities so that they can be dealt with.

We want to increase community confidence that action is being taken to reduce youth offending and antisocial behaviour when it occurs. We think it is very important to ensure all our young people reach their full potential. We can't let a small minority of young people give everyone a bad name. The vast majority of our young people are well behaved. We want to prevent young people getting involved in disorder and offending, and if they do, we want to provide support and opportunities to ensure they can see others ways of spending their time positively. There are many small groups working at community level to provide activities for young people. Local authorities and voluntary organisations deliver a wide range of preventative and diversionary activities such as after school clubs, street football, cheap access to leisure centres outdoor education. Success will depend on the commitment of Local Authorities and the full range of local partners, including the third sector, the wider community, parents and young people themselves. For those who do get involved in offending behaviour, funding to tackle this has risen from £1.5 million in 2000-01 to £63 million in 2006-07.

Answer: We recognise the contribution made by the Scottish Civic Forum in developing processes and networks to support civic participation during the first two sessions of the Scottish Parliament. The context in which the Forum operates has evolved over that period, not least because the Parliament and the Scottish Government have themselves worked hard to broaden opportunities for public engagement. We remain committed to promoting active citizenship and encouraging greater public involvement in decisions about how Scotland is governed. The Scottish Government will continue to work with a wide range of organisations which share that aim.

Answer: We believe that the Disability Equality Duty is an important tool in improving public services for disabled people. We recognise that we have a role to play in encouraging public bodies, such as local authorities and NHS boards, to respond positively to their disability equality duties. As part of this we wrote to all public bodies subject to the duty to produce a scheme informing them of their legal requirements and the guidance available from the Disability Rights Commission, the enforcement body for the duties. In addition, we have worked in partnership with the DRC and NHS Scotland through the Fair For All-Disability initiative to progress disability equality across the NHS. Fair for All - Disability is currently reviewing all NHS schemes to identify any further support or development issues. With effect from April 2008 support for NHS Boards in relation to disability equality will be through a new Directorate of Equalities & Planning in NHS Health Scotland. However, it is for individual public bodies to ensure that they comply with the disability equality duty and the enforcement of the duty is a matter for the Disability Rights Commission and, from October, the Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

Answer: The national speed limit of 60 mph on single carriageway roads is reserved. However, the Scottish Executive can set lower limits on sections of trunk roads, while local authorities are responsible for setting lower limits on local roads. In August 2006 the Executive issued revised guidance to local authorities on setting local speed limits. The guidance recommends that a 40 mph limit should be considered on Class A and B roads where there is a high number of bends, junctions or accesses, substantial development, or where the road is used by a considerable number of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. On Class C and unclassified roads, a 40 mph limit is recommended on roads with a predominantly local, access or recreational function.

Answer: Yes, the aims and the objectives of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy are very relevant to the Scotland Rural Development Programme. The Rural Development Programme encompasses a wide range of measures in Axis 2, Improving the Environment and the Countryside, to assist in the delivery of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. The funding levels for the SRDP were set taking account of the Strategy and the outcomes that the Strategy sets out to deliver.