Parliamentary questions

Linda Fabiani

2,507 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

2 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question SW2-23823 by Tavish Scott on 7 April 2006, how many (a) road traffic accidents and (b) fatalities and serious injuries there were on the A726 between Strathaven and East Kilbride in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Data about personal injury roadaccidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive usingthe STATS 19 statistical report form. The following table gives the numbers of roadaccidents which were identified in these returns as occurring o…

27 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24245 by Tavish Scott on 24 March 2006, how many individuals who submitted a valid application before 20 March 2006 did not receive their National Entitlement Card by 1 April 2006; for how long these applicants will be able to use their old travel ca…

Answer · Tavish Scott: This information is not heldcentrally, nor is it likely to be available from what is essentially a live database.It is intended that old travel cards will continue to be valid for local travelup to 30 June 2006, and an intensive marketing and publicity campai…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have migrated from Australia to Scotland in each year since 1997.

Answer · George Lyon: There is no regular source ofinformation about migrants into Scotland from overseas which provides detail by source country.Some information is available from the 2001Census: 2,366 people who lived in Scotland at the time of the 2001 Census stated that they h…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to promote direct air links with Australia.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive’s RouteDevelopment Fund has been designed to work with the aviation market to bring forwarddirect air services where it can be demonstrated that services should be able tooperate on a long-term sustainable basis. We have examined the po…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what average amount was spent by visitors to Scotland from Australia in each year since 1997.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The estimated amount spentby visitors to Scotland from Australia in each year since 1997 (in money of the day) is shownin the following table:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=52 valign=top> Year </td> <td width=71 va…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people visited Scotland from Australia in each year since 1999.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The number of people whovisited Scotland from Australia in each year since 1999 is shown in the followingtable:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=151 valign=top> Year </td> <td width=198 valign=top> Vi…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many visitors to Scotland arrived in (a) a Scottish airport and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom on a flight from Australia in each year since 1997.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: There are currently nodirect flights from Australia to Scotland, although there are a number of indirect flights to Scotland connectingwithin the UK and elsewhere. The number of visitors to Scotlandfrom Australia who travelled by air to the United Kingdomsinc…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the roles and remits are of VisitScotland and VisitBritain in marketing Scotland in Australia.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: VisitBritain is the leadagency in the delivery of the Scotland brand in new and emerging markets. VisitScotlandworks in partnership with VisitBritain to market Scotland in Australia asa great visitor destination, with Scotland a key element of the Britain bra…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much VisitScotland has spent marketing Scotland in Australia in each year since 1997; what forms of media have been used, and how much it will spend for these purposes in the next three years.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: VisitScotland works closelywith VisitBritain in marketing Scotland to the Australian tourism market as part of the Britainbrand portfolio. VisitBritain’s Australia marketing budget has risen from £0.9 million in1997-98 to £1.4 million in 2005-06. Prior to 200…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff employed by VisitScotland are involved in marketing Scotland in Australia; where such staff are located, and whether any premises are utilised or occupied in Australia for this purpose.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The marketing of Scotland in Australia ismanaged by five members of the VisitScotland North America, Asia, andPacific team, who are based in VisitScotland’s Headquarters in Edinburgh.The VisitScotland staff work in partnership with VisitBritain staff based in…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote employment opportunities and the Fresh Talent initiative at careers events at higher education institutions in Australia.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive’s current activitiesto promote Fresh Talent overseas do not include attendance at any careers eventsin Australia.However, we are working closelywith partners, such as the FCO, the British Council and Scottish Development International(SDI…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken, and will take, to encourage the Scottish diaspora in Australia to invest in the Scottish economy.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive intendsto engage with and mobilise the Scottish diaspora to further Scotland’s interestsfor the long-term benefit of our economy and society. We aim to encourage the diaspora’sactive participation and engagement in promoting Scotland as…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage the Scottish diaspora in Australia to contribute to reducing the skills shortage in Scotland.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive intendsto engage with and mobilise the diaspora to further Scotland’s interestsfor the long-term benefit of our economy and society. We aim to encourage the diaspora’sactive participation and engagement in promoting Scotland as a great …

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage the Scottish diaspora in Australia back to Scotland to live in order to help reverse the population decline.

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what boundaries are implied by the use of the word Scotland in section 29(2)(a) of the Scotland Act 1998.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The boundaries of Scotland arewell recognised. They are not therefore set out in the Scotland Act 1998although section 126 of the Act makes clear that “Scotland”includes so much of the internal waters and territorial sea of the United Kingdomas are adjacent t…

30 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the proposals of the Campaign for a Scottish Olympic Team.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Executive has consideredthe proposals of the Campaign for a Scottish Olympic Team and our position onthe aims of the campaign is clear and remains unchanged.

30 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the International Olympic Committee seeking the establishment of a Scottish Olympic committee and a Scottish Olympic team, in light of the performance of the Scottish team at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the call by the Danish Minister fo…

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: No.