Questions · Linda Fabiani

3 Apr 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what is (a) the total value of the contracts awarded to date in respect of the Holyrood project, (b) the percentage of the total value that related to prime costs, provisional sums and contingency, and (c) the estimated value of those contracts at completion.

Answer · David Steel: The information is as follows:The total value of works packages awarded to date is £13.5 million.<OL TYPE="a"><LI>The level of provision sums is on average 2%. The project cost estimate contains an overall contingency all…

3 Apr 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what estimate the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has made of the cost of car parking provision at Holyrood (a) in total, (b) by square meter and (c) per car parking space, and whether it will detail these costs for each of the cost reports contained in paragraph 4.2 of the Spencely …

Answer · David Steel: The car park forms part of the substructure works package for the west part of the site and comprises 45% of the total west basement area. The costs for the car parking area and the building structure support cannot be separately identified.

3 Apr 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what work contracts had been let in respect of the new Parliament building by the date of appointment of John Spencely; what was the date of signing and the date of commencement of each contract, and whether any contracts have been signed in respect of construction works since Mr Spencely'…

Answer · David Steel: The information is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="52%" VALIGN="TOP">Works Package</TD><TD WIDTH="31%" VALIGN="TOP">Date of Authorisation</TD><TD WIDTH="18%" VALIGN="TO…

3 Apr 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S1W-230 by him on 8 July 1999, what proportion of the total area of the Parliament building is identified as circulation space, for each of the cost reports contained in paragraph 4.2 of the Spencely Report.

Answer · David Steel: The figures for circulation space given below are calculated from the balance of net area to gross area and shown opposite the design dates they relate to.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=404><TR><TD WIDTH="58%" VALIGN="TOP">…

3 Apr 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what the si'e is in square meters of the Holyrood site and what the si'e is in square meters of the building footprint for the latest designs produced by the design team.

Answer · David Steel: The Holyrood site is approximately 17,000m2 and the gross floor area of the building footprint is 7,483m2 at Garden level.

3 Apr 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will provide a breakdown of the costs to date associated with the Holyrood project by separate budgets referred to paragraph 4.6 of the Spencely report and what was the basis for calculating these costs.

Answer · David Steel: The information is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP">Description</TD><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTE…

31 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it made to the Department of Trade and Industry regarding matters affecting Scotland which were on the agenda of the World Trade Organisation meeting in Geneva on 25 February 2000.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Representations made to the UK Government invariably require to be made in confidence in the same way as representations received by the Scottish Executive.

29 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last made representations to the Department of Trade and Industry regarding any changes to health services in Scotland as a result of the recent World Trade Organisation talks.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Neither the Scottish Executive nor the Department of Trade and Industry anticipate any changes to health services as a result of current World Trade Organisation (WTO) discussions, either under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) or under the Go…

29 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last made representations to the Department of Trade and Industry and what was discussed.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry about a wide range of issues.

10 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to Her Majesty's Government regarding possible exemption from the climate charge levy for Scottish consumers, especially industrial consumers, who use a greater amount of electricity generated from hydro-power than consumers in the rest of the UK and so…

Answer · Henry McLeish: Following representations, the Chancellor announced in his pre-Budget statement that he had decided to exempt 'new' renewables from the Climate Change Levy (CCL). Only non-domestic energy consumers will pay CCL, and they will be able to obtain exemption by pu…

1 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Scottish representations were made to the United Kingdom delegation to the World Trade Organisation meetings in Geneva.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry and other UK Departments on trade issues including those arising from the World Trade Organisation and how these…

29 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre the marketing brief issued to the sales agents appointed to market Dungavel House and its grounds.

Answer · Jim Wallace: No. This is an operational and commercial matter for which the Scottish Prison Service is fully responsible.

29 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to consult the local community regarding future use of Dungavel House and its grounds.

Answer · Jim Wallace: None.

29 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether South Lanarkshire Council has been consulted regarding suitable alternative uses for Dungavel House and its grounds and what advice has been received.

Answer · Jim Wallace: No.

29 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ruled out the use of Dungavel House as a component of the Scottish penal system, whether operated by the Scottish Prison Service or by a private operator.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Yes. This is an operational matter for the Scottish Prison Service. They have no plans at present to use Dungavel House as a prison following its closure in the summer.

17 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the ministerial recommendations made to Historic Scotland regarding the listing of historic buildings.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The principles behind the statutory listing of historic buildings are set out at paragraph 1.8 of Historic Scotland's Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas (1998), a copy of which is placed in SPICe.

9 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who represents it on the Scottish Committee of the British Council; to whom that representative reports, and what mechanism is in place for its input to the work of the Council to be subject to scrutiny by the Parliament.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Paragraph D3.21 of the Overarching Concordat on International Relations refers to representation on the Scottish Committee of the British Council and states that there will be two senior officials from the Scottish Executive on the Committee.<FONT FACE="Arial…

7 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the international organisations outwith the European Community or European Union (a) from which it receives regular correspondence; (b) which consult the Executive about their activities or proposals; (c) in whose activities members of the Executive have participated …

Answer · Jim Wallace: My colleagues and I are in touch with such international organisations as circumstances and the demands of our portfolios require. We would be happy to consider requests for more specific information on any particular organisation or area of activity.

2 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make available to the Parliament copies of all agendas, papers and minutes of the meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee.

Answer · Donald Dewar: Paragraph A1.11 of the Memorandum of Understanding describes the remit and structure of the Joint Ministerial Committee. It provides that "the proceedings of each meeting of the JMC will be regarded as confidential by the participants, in order to permit…