Immigration is currently a reserved issue and as such the Scottish Government has no estimates of the likely impact of the change to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme. The scheme has enabled over 8,400 international graduates to remain in Scotland and work after study and although the scheme has been widened out to the rest of the UK, international graduates from a Scottish university will still have the opportunity to work in Scotland after they graduate, as will graduates from the rest of the UK.

We received representations from the Asian restaurant industry about its ability to recruit skilled chefs from the subcontinent. As immigration is currently reserved to the UK Government, these were conveyed to the Home Secretary. We also encouraged representatives to engage with the Migration Advisory Committee, which they did. Skilled chefs were included on the Shortage Occupation list produced last month.

While immigration is currently a reserved issue, skilled immigration is an important contributor to the growth of Scotland''s economy. We have recently published analysis undertaken by Strathclyde University which identifies that continued levels of immigration will be an important driver of future economic growth in Scotland. This can be found on the Scottish Government''s website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/by-topic/public-services-and-gvt/Demography-Research-Prog/EconomicImpactofScottish.

We are also aware of various analyses that have been undertaken to estimate the impacts of immigration on Scotland''s regional and local economies.

It is not possible to identify the particular impact of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme on the performance of the Scottish economy or the number of foreign students at Scottish universities.

Immigration is currently reserved to the UK Government and the Scottish Government does not have information on the impact of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme on levels of immigration to Scotland. However we do know there have been around 8,400 international graduates applied to remain in Scotland under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme to work after completing their studies.

We have recently published a review of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme which is available on the Scottish Government website and the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46484). http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/15155422/0.

The Scottish Government has no estimates of the likely impact on the performance of the Scottish economy of the change to a points-based immigration system. Immigration is currently reserved and the Home Office noted in its Regulatory Impact Assessment, which accompanied the introduction of the UK points-based immigration system, that it is very difficult to accurately predict the exact impact of the new system on the numbers and types of people who might come to Scotland to work.

While immigration is currently a reserved issue, the Scottish Government has worked closely with the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) since its inception and ministers provided views on the proposed methodology and work plan early in the process. Alongside UKBA, officials facilitated a session for employers in Glasgow and undertook visits to Scottish employers. Along with Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Government officials promoted the MAC''s work with a view to raising awareness amongst business networks and encouraging employers to engage with the process. This employer engagement has been reflected in the MAC''s report.

This is an issue for the forthcoming review of the National Waste Plan. In particular, we will consider what more can be done to provide advice to business on minimising waste and improvements to data on commercial and industrial waste to encourage investment in recycling plants. Also whether any further voluntary or legislative steps can be taken to increase recycling of business waste.

In the meantime, I have issued a consultation on potential waste legislation, for inclusion in the Climate Change Bill, which includes a number of innovative proposals on how to increase recycling rates in Scotland including the provision of more recycling facilities at work and in public places.

An estimate of the impact of taxation changes in Scotland is published by HM Treasury in the annual economic and fiscal strategy report. The most recent estimate, published on 12 March 2008, indicates that a one penny reduction in the Scottish variable rate of income tax in 2009-10 would reduce receipts by approximately £400 million.

For estimating purposes it can be assumed that a two pence reduction in the Scottish variable rate would reduce receipts by £800 million.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16326 on 24 September 2008. For estimating purposes, it can be assumed that a four pence reduction in the basic rate of income tax in Scotland would reduce receipts by about £1.6 billion. The maximum change in the rate of income tax in Scotland permitted within current legislation is three pence in the pound. As I indicated in Draft Budget 2009-10, published on 16 September 2008, the Scottish Government currently have no plans to invoke the powers in the Scotland Act to vary the rate of income tax in Scotland and has made no representations to Her Majesty''s Government on this matter.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Following an initial scoping seminar held in Edinburgh, the Scottish Government has held four regional consultation seminars in Paisley, Galashiels, Fort William and Aberdeen. A Scottish Government online consultation exercise has been launched and will run until 8 September 2008. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is running a parallel consultation exercise on its website over the same period, which will complement the Scottish Government process.

A report on the findings of the consultation will form the basis of a draft order which will be debated in the Parliament early in 2009.

The passage of the UK Bill through the UK Parliament has been delayed and is unlikely to be complete before November 2008. A reclaim fund will then be established and it is anticipated that monies will be available to the third sector early in 2010.