Linda Fabiani

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) children and (b) pensioners it has lifted out of poverty since 1999.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive's Social Justice Annual Report, <I>A Scotland where everyone matters </I>sets out the Scottish Executive's strategy for tackling all aspects of poverty and social exclusion.<P>Low income is one aspect of poverty. Tables 1 and 2 of the d…

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8569 by Nicol Stephen on 14 August 2000, what recent assessments it has made of the impact on its responsibilities of the World Trade Organisation.

Answer · Iain Gray: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter and as such the UK Government take the lead on this issue. However, the Scottish Executive maintains close contact with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other UK Government Departments o…

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33593 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 February 2003, who its representation in the UK delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe is composed of.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive representative on the UK delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) is Peter Peacock MSP, Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services. Mr Peacock's substitute on CLRAE is Ben Wallace MSP.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33598 by Ms Margaret Curran on 14 February 2003, whether the announcement on neighbourhood wardens will be made before dissolution of the Parliament.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The announcement on community wardens was made on 11 March 2003. Copies of the consultation document <I>Building Strong, Safe and Attractive Communities</I> have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 27011).

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34102 by Ross Finnie on 24 February 2003, what steps are being taken to ensure that the new survey on public attitudes towards wind farms does not include any errors.

Answer · Ross Finnie: A number of checks are being carried out at key stages of the research to ensure that the new survey does not contain any errors. The precise location of each of the wind farms involved has also been carefully calculated and mapped.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question 34109 by Ross Finnie on 24 February 2003, when the new survey on public attitudes towards wind farms will be completed and when the results will be published.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The fieldwork is due to be completed before the end of March. Substantial work will then be undertaken to collate the findings and to ensure that the data is free from errors. The results will be published before the end of June 2003.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34108 by Des McNulty on 26 February 2003, when a decision will be made on the wind farm public inquiry.

Answer · Des McNulty: It is not possible to say, at this stage, when a decision will be made on the An Suidhe proposal. Every effort will, however, be made to reach an early decision.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from (a) community representatives, (b) school boards, (c) church or denominational bodies and (d) parents of pupils in the Hamilton area of the South Lanarkshire Council area in relation to the council's proposed public private partnership for …

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We have recently received some representations concerning school reorganisation proposals in the Hamilton area which are related to South Lanarkshire Council's proposed public private partnership for schools.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from (a) community representatives, (b) school boards, (c) church or denominational bodies and (d) parents of pupils in the East Kilbride area of the South Lanarkshire Council area in relation to the council's proposed public private partnership…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We have recently received some representations concerning school reorganisation proposals in the East Kilbride area which are related to South Lanarkshire Council's proposed public private partnership for schools.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33067 on 21 January 2003, what it estimates the likely percentage change will be in school rolls by 2011 in (a) the South Lanarkshire Council area, (b) East Kilbride and (c) Hamilton.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Projections of pupil rolls cannot be disaggregated below education authority level. Overall, mainstream school rolls in South Lanarkshire are projected to fall by 16% by 2011.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether education authorities should take into account the level of funding allocated under its schools estate funding package when formulating Public Private Partnership proposals and whether any education authorities that had formulated, but not agreed, Public Private Partnership (PPP) …

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Authorities are free to take account of all the resources available to them in their consideration of funding Public Private Partnership proposals. Preparation of an Outline Business Case is an early stage of the PPP process and there are opportunities as the…

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22918 by Nicol Stephen on 22 February 2002, what balance should be struck by education authorities between educational, financial and community issues when considering the closure of a school.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The particular balance is a matter for the education authorities, taking account of the issues they have identified and the issues raised during consultation on particular proposals.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22918 by Nicol Stephen on 22 February 2002, whether needing to realise a financial gain from the sale of a school site in order to fund a public private partnership proposal is a relevant financial consideration in respect of school closure proposals.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The particular financial considerations taken into account in any school closure proposal, whether or not related to a public private partnership, are matters for the local authority making the proposal.

13 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much (a) basic and (b) additional grant-aided expenditure for education has been awarded to South Lanarkshire Council in each year since its formation.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The figures in the table show the South Lanarkshire Council's Grant Aided Expenditure formula allocation for education from 1996-97 onwards. These figures include any in year adjustments. <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=153><TR><TD WIDTH="57%"…

13 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #16 million funding for accelerating land renewal in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire, detailed in Building Better Cities - Delivering Growth and Opportunities, is intended for use at the Ravenscraig site in North Lanarkshire.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The resources announced for 2004-06 to tackle vacant and derelict land in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire will be allocated following discussions between the Scottish Executive and the two local authorities, Communities Scotland and the Scottish Enterprise netw…

18 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which social inclusion partnerships (a) underspent and (b) overspent their budgets in 2001-02 and by how much in each case.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Information requested is given in the following table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 WIDTH=601><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="BOTTOM"><P>SIP</TD><TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="BOTTOM"><P>Total Allocation<SUP>1</SUP></TD><TD WIDTH="26%" VALIGN="BOTTOM"><P>Total Expendi…

18 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the administrative costs were of each social inclusion partnership in 2001-02.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Up to 2.5% of the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund allocation in any year may be used to meet administration costs incurred by the grant recipient. The amounts claimed in 2001-02 are shown in the following table: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 WIDTH=396><TR><TD…

18 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27648 by Hugh Henry on 22 August 2002, whether the review by Communities Scotland of financial procedures and practices in relation to the Social Inclusion Partnership programme has been completed and, if it is not, when it will be completed.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Communities Scotland assumed responsibility for the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund from 1 November 2001. An initial review of procedures to ensure that the programme was incorporated effectively into the agency systems has now been completed. General finan…

18 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27964 by Hugh Henry on 5 September 2002, whether each local authority listed has now (a) set up registers of interest for Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) board members and (b) made all such registers available for public scrutiny.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Eleven of the 17 authorities listed in the answer to question S1W-27964 have confirmed that registers of interest for SIP board members are in place and available for public scrutiny. <P>Fife and Inverclyde councils are at an advanced stage in preparing regis…

17 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of the legislation governing burial and cremation that it announced on 19 July 2002 is expected.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The review of legislation is being taken forward in a two-stage process. <P>The first phase involves the early introduction of amended cremation regulations to address the specific issues identified by the Independent Review Group on Retention of Organs at Po…

17 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32809 by Ross Finnie on 13 January 2003, who is undertaking the new survey on public attitudes towards wind farms

Answer · Ross Finnie: Following a competitive tender process, a contract to undertake the new survey has been awarded to MORI.

17 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the results of the survey "Public Attitudes Towards Wind Farms in Scotland" have been used as part of the decision-making process in (a) local authority planning committees and (b) public inquiries in respect of the location of wind farms

Answer · Des McNulty: Information on the considerations of local authority planning committees is not held centrally. Only one wind farm public inquiry has taken place since the survey was published. This case is currently with the Scottish ministers for decision.

17 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the results of the survey "Public Attitudes Towards Wind Farms in Scotland" were used as part of the decision-making process for the re-drafting of planning guidelines in respect of the location of wind farms.

Answer · Des McNulty: The survey was not a significant consideration when <I>National Planning Policy Guideline 6: Renewable Energy Developments </I>was revised. Paragraph 32 of the guideline refers to the research in the context of highlighting the importance of ensuring that loc…

17 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authority planning departments have been advised that paragraph 32 in National Planning Policy Guideline NPPG6: Renewable Energy Developments and paragraph 70, including Case Study No 5, in Planning Advice Note 45: Renewable Energy Technologies should be disregarded as the …

Answer · Des McNulty: Public concern over residential and local amenity must be addressed on a case-by-case basis so the contents of these paragraphs are still very relevant. We will shortly write to planning authorities confirming that new research has now been commissioned to pr…

17 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether parties likely to become involved in applications to build wind farms have been advised that the survey "Public Attitudes Towards Wind Farms in Scotland" has been withdrawn and that references to this survey should be deleted from planning applications

Answer · Ross Finnie: Industry representative bodies were informed about the error in the data used in undertaking the survey. The content of applications for planning consent is a matter for those submitting the application.

17 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to publicise the withdrawal of the survey "Public Attitudes Towards Wind Farms in Scotland"

Answer · Ross Finnie: A message explaining the action that the Executive had taken was placed on the Scottish Executive website. My officials also notified the industry representative bodies.

17 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what grid references were used to identify the wind power sites at Hagshaw Hill, Bein Ghlass, Novar and Windy Standard for sampling purposes in the survey "Public Attitudes Towards Wind Farms in Scotland" and how many people were interviewed at each of the four sites and in each of the 5 …

Answer · Ross Finnie: The grid references used to identify the four wind farms were:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=179><TR><TD WIDTH="60%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><P>Hagshaw Hill</TD><TD WIDTH="40%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><P>NS780300</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="60%" VA…

17 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32809 by Ross Finnie on 13 January 2003, on what date the survey "Public Attitudes Towards Wind Farms in Scotland" was withdrawn.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Information about the survey was removed from the Scottish Executive website on 21 November 2002, pending an investigation into the information that had been provided by a member of the public. A statement explaining that there had been an error in the data u…

31 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will receive the findings of its Inquiry Reporters Unit on the proposed crematorium at Greenhall Park, High Blantyre.

Answer · Des McNulty: The reporter appointed to conduct the inquiry is presently considering the evidence led at the inquiry and the written submissions of the parties. Thereafter, the reporter will submit a detailed report with recommendations to Scottish ministers for their cons…

31 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31405 by Mr Frank McAveety on 20 November 2002, whether the BetterCare Group Ltd ruling implies that there is any potential for auxiliary services provided by local authorities to be subject to the Competition Act 1998.

Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33605 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…