Stevenson Welcomes Announcement On Rural Development Programme

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed the announcement today by Cabinet Secretary for the Environment and Rural Affairs Richard Lochhead of investment of almost £1.6 billion for Scottish agriculture, forestry environment and community projects as part of the Rural Development Programme from 2007 to 2013.

Mr Stevenson, who made a submission to the consultation on the Rural Development Programme, commented:

                "Farming and the rural economy are one of the mainstays of the North-east so I am delighted that this has been recognised so early in the life of the new SNP Government.

                "One of my colleague Richard Lochhead's first acts as Cabinet Secretary was to hold a meeting with industry representatives and the interest groups and that will be a hallmark of this administration.

                "In addition, I am delighted that key stakeholders such as NFU Scotland have given a broad welcome to the package of measures announced today and I am particularly pleased to see a support programme for new entrants into the industry included in that.  That is something which I have argued for for a long time now and it is pleasing to see an SNP Government taking this forward for the future of the farming industry."

MSPs vote to dump tolls

The Scottish Parliament tonight approved the Government's plans to abolish tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said abolition would 'eliminate 40 years of injustice' since both bridges were opened in the 1960s.

The Minister promised that tolls would be end 'as soon as is practicable' or by the end of the year.

Mr Stevenson said:

"The financial cost to the Executive - both capital and current - of removing the bridge tolls will be considered fully in the forthcoming spending review. I have been advised that the current toll income for the two bridges in total is estimated to be between £15 million and £16 million per year.

"In effect the income from the tolls will be replaced by the same income - but that income will be provided by the Government, not by the residents and businesses of Fife and its surrounding area."

Minister for not-so-silly walks steers clear of cars - Evening News

IAN SWANSON SCOTTISH POLITICAL EDITOR

SCOTLAND'S new Transport Minister has told civil servants to plan his timetable so he can walk around Edinburgh more, instead of using a government limo.

Stewart Stevenson - once Alex Salmond's chauffeur - said he had started as he meant to go on by walking from the Scottish Parliament up to St Andrew's House for his first meeting with officials, rather than making the journey by car. "I'm not saying I will never use an official car," he said. "But I like walking and, where possible, that's what I'll do."

Mr Stevenson was appointed Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change in the new SNP minority government last week.

He said: "I've asked the civil servants to timetable engagements if they're in Edinburgh, so I can walk between them.

"I will, of course, find myself using a government car some of the time.

"But I certainly want to use my feet when I can, take the bus or the train when appropriate, and fall back on the car only when necessary. My private secretary, who controls the diary, said she thought it was a good idea - and I'm sure they will find a way to make sure I'm still working even when I'm walking."

Trips to and from St Andrew's House in Regent Road should pose little problem for Mr Stevenson, but walking from the Parliament to meetings at Bute House in Charlotte Square and back would take more than an hour out of his day.

Mr Stevenson, whose constituency is Banff and Buchan in the north-east, lives in Linlithgow during the week and commutes by train to Edinburgh.

"I deliberately bought a house near the station, so it's three minutes' walk to catch the train and then a walk from Waverley to the Parliament," he said.

He estimated that he currently walks around five or six miles a day, including up to one and a half miles just going about the parliament building.

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