Tricia Marwick

29 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated by local authorities to residents’ and tenants’ associations in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>Information is not held centrally on the funding provided by local authorities to residents’ and tenants’ associations. The Executive made av…

13 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many public surveys have been conducted by outside agencies in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) topic, (b) agency or organisation contracted to carry out each survey and (c) cost to the Executive.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information on public surveys you requested has been collated from individual Departments as historical records show. Systems have been in place since 2003 to collate this information centrally.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=614> <…

6 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what score was given for the needs assessment element of each local housing strategy, using the following grades; outstanding, excellent, very good, good, good in parts, generally weak and weak.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to reply. Her response is as follows:</p><p>No grading was given specifically to the needs assessment element of each local housing strategy. The assessment was undertaken as part of the …

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly-qualified Gaelic-medium primary teachers will leave Scottish colleges or courses of further education at the end of this academic year and how many vacancies will exist for them.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<p> A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghalta…

Answer · Peter Peacock: Subject to satisfactory completionof their courses, 13 newly qualified Gaelic medium primary teachers will leave universitiesoffering Teacher Education at the end of this academic year.</p><p>Therehave been 12 Gaelic medium primary vacancies offered by Scotti…

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies existed for Gaelic-medium primary teachers in primary schools on 1 (a) August 2000, (b) August 2001, (c) August 2002 and (d) August 2003 and how many it anticipates there will be on 1 August 2004.<P> The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<P>A dh' fha…

Answer · Peter Peacock: Information in the form requestedis not held centrally.</p><p><i>The </i><i>Scottish Executive</i><i> has provided the following Gaelic translation:</i></p><p>Chan eil am fiosrachadhseo glèidhte anns a’ mheadhon.</p>

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to involve the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages in the development of the final draft of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<p>A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba de na ceumannan a tha e …

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-8227 on 25May 2004.</p><p>All answers for written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/…

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to involve the Council of Europe monitoring team that reported on the Scottish Executive's progress with regard to the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages in the development of the final draft of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill.<p>The member ha…

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-8227 on 25 May 2004. All answers for written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill and whether it intends the Bill to be approved by the Parliament by the time of the National Mod of 2004.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<p>A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba cuine a dh' fhoillsic…

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-8227 on 25 May 2004. All answers for written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with representatives of the Gaelic Media Service whilst developing the final draft of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<p>A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba de na crmhraidhean a bh' aige le …

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-8227 on 25 May 2004. All answers for written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with representatives of BBC Scotland whilst developing the final draft of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<p>A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba de na crmhraidhean a bh' aige le riochdairean…

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-8227 on 25 May 2004. All answers for written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it received during the consultation period on the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<p>A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba cr mheud freagairt a fhuair e rh an `m co-chomhairleachaidh air Bile na G`idhlig (…

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive published the draft Gaelic Bill for consultation on 10 October 2003. the Executive received over 3,400 responses from local authorities, public bodies includingBBC Scotland and the Gaelic Media Service, Gaelic interest groups and from i…

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make provision for increasing the budget of the Gaelic Media Service in order to restore the budget to the purchasing power equivalent of the budget first set for Comataidh Telebhisein G`idhlig on its establishment.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translati…

Answer · Frank McAveety: All bids for budget increasesare being considered within the wider context of the Scottish Executive’s current spending review.</p><p><i>The </i><i>Scottish Executive</i><i> has provided the following Gaelic translation:</i></p><p>Thathar a' beachdachadh air …

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to develop opportunities for adults to learn Gaelic through the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<p>A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba a bheil e an dyil cothroman a leudachadh tro Bhile na G`idhlig (Alba…

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-8227 on 25 May 2004. All answers for written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…

13 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to give parents a legal right to choose Gaelic medium education through the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill.<p>The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:<p>A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba a bheil e an dyil coir laghail a thoirt do ph`rantan gus…

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-8227 on 25 May 2004. All answers for written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…

29 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees in each NHS board have been suspended for disciplinary offences for a period of more than six months in each year since 1999.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally. Each NHSScotland employer has delegated responsibility for employment issues.

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6948 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 April 2004, whether it will publish a list of those invited to these functions or receptions organised by it and hosted by Scottish Ministers since May 2003.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive does not publish lists of guests who have attended official functions.</p>

19 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6948 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 April 2004, which functions or receptions were not paid for by public funds and whether the cost was met by other organisations or individuals and, if so, which organisations or individuals, stating how much was contributed …

Answer · Andy Kerr: All but one of the events detailedin my answer to question S2W-6948 on 7 April 2004 werefinanced from public funds. The exception was the event on 14 November 2003. Itwas a charity event approved by the First Minister within the provisions of a specialscheme …

13 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, what arrangements are in place to publish all official engagements of the First Minister and Scottish ministers.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Details of major engagementsare set out in news releases issued on the day and at the daily media briefings.A note of the daily media briefing and copies of all news releases are posted onthe Executive’s website.</p>

13 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S1W-33632 by Patricia Ferguson on 17 February 2003, whether arrangements have been put in place to hold centrally the list of such ministerial visits to each parliamentary constituency and, if so, whether these will be published.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: No arrangements have been putin place. As I made clear in my response to  S1W-33632, it is for individual ministerialprivate offices to ensure that constituency MSPs, Regional MSPs and MPs are notifiedwhen official visits take place.</p>

13 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-6949 and S2W-6950 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 April 2004, why it has no plans to publish on a monthly basis the cost of, and list of people invited to, receptions and functions hosted by the First Minister and Scottish Ministers.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive will publish annually, starting from the end of the current financialyear, the total cost of hospitality occasions funded directly by the Scottish Executive.</p>

13 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-6947 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 April 2004, whether it will publish a list of those invited to official receptions at Bute House since May 2003.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive does not publish lists of guests who have attended official functions atBute House or elsewhere.</p>

13 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6947 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 April 2004, which of these functions or receptions were not paid for from public funds; whether the cost was met by other organisations or individuals and, if so, which organisations or individuals, stating how much was cont…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The cost of all events providedin the answer were met from public funds.</p>

13 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the purpose was of any reception held on the evening of 10 March 2004 at Bute House; whether it was a private function; whether any of the public areas of Bute House were used for the reception, and whether the cost of catering was met from public funds.

Answer · Andy Kerr: No official reception was held in Bute House on the evening of 10 March 2004.Consequently no costs to public funds arose. No records of private use of ButeHouse are kept by the Scottish Executive.</p>

13 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what rooms in Bute House are designated for (a) the private use of the First Minister and Scottish Ministers and (b) official purposes only.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There is no formal distinctionbetween the public and the private areas of Bute House. Official functions are normallyheld in the drawing room and the dining room. There is a limited amount of officeaccommodation to provide support when Cabinet meets or other …

13 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what distinction is made between official and private use of Bute House by the First Minister and Scottish Ministers.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Official functions are thoseheld in furtherance of Scottish Executive business or in providing hospitality to guests of the Scottish Executive or HM Government. The costs of official events are metfrom public funds. When the First Minister entertains guests p…

13 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish guidelines on the use of Bute House by Scottish Ministers; when any such guidelines were approved, and by whom.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The <i>Scottish Ministerial Code</i>sets out the principles for the appropriate use of buildings designated as an officialresidence. A copy of the code is available on the Scottish Executive website at <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/FCSD/CabSec/0001…

1 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies that are located in Edinburgh, live in Fife.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive HR System holds information about the home addresses of staff in a number, but not all, of its agencies. At April 2004, within agencies and associated departments under the Scottish Executive administration, there were 309 staff in pos…

1 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees who are located in Edinburgh live in Fife.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive HR System holds information about the home addresses of staff. At April 2004, the home address of 215 staff in Scottish Executive core posts located in Edinburgh were recorded as being in Fife. An exercise is currently taking place to …

29 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a public commitment to comply fully with its obligations under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Within the scope of its powers,the Scottish Executive expects to give effect to the international obligations of the United Kingdom.</p>

29 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate why it does not fully comply with its obligations under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and publish the results of such an investigation.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive is already addressingthe issues for which it is responsible in the light of the Council of Europe’s investigation.</p>