Parliamentary questions

Alasdair Morgan

518 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the minutes of meetings of the Ministerial Committee on Rural Development.

Answer · Ross Finnie: As indicated in the Guide to Collective Decision Making, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 5884) and on the Scottish Executive website, the Executive operates on the basis of collective responsibility and do…

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Ministerial Committee on Rural Development will next meet and what subjects will be on its agenda.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Rural Development will next meet in May. It will discuss issues that impact on Rural Development in Scotland.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Ministerial Committee on Rural Development last met.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Rural Development (the current name for the former Ministerial Committee on Rural Development) last met on 5 February 2002.

8 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in respect of how many Private Finance Initiative/Public Private Partnership schemes or proposed schemes Arthur Andersen or any of its subsidiaries and associated companies have been awarded (a) contracts and (b) sub-contracts and (c) have undertaken consultancy work since May 1997.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22503 on 13 February 2002, which gave the information requested for the Scottish Executive and its agencies. The information requested is not held centrally for other public bodies as the contracts are a …

24 Jan 2002 · Written Question

Answer · Andy Kerr: In respect of local authorities it is the level of capital spending that is controlled, not borrowing. The figures requested, for borrowing, are set out in the following table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=604><TR><TD WIDTH="44%" VALIGN="TOP…

22 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider extending the scope of section 1 of the Weeds Act 1959 to include Japanese Knotweed.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No. The powers in the Weeds Act 1959 arise from the need to safeguard commercial food production.In nature conservation terms, Japanese Knotweed is listed in Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and under this act it is an offence to acciden…

22 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the proposed Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman will be able to begin accepting referrals for investigation.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The date on which the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman can begin exercising functions will depend on the timing of completion of consideration of the bill currently before the Parliament, and completion of the appointment process by the Parliament.

9 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with West of Scotland Water about the provision of sewage treatment in the south west of Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is in continuous dialogue with all of the Scottish water authorities on the whole range of services provided by them throughout Scotland.Specifically, as part of the preparation of the Water Quality and Standards 2002-2006 (Bi…

19 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what rates relief is available for licensed premises that are the sole such premises in a rural village.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Local authorities currently have discretionary powers to provide up to 100% rate relief for properties beneficial to the local community, in settlements of less than 3,000 people in areas of Scotland designated as rural areas by the Scottish ministers.All …

19 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in which towns with populations over 1,000 further housing development is prohibited because of any inadequacy of the current sewage system.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We are aware of concerns that new housing development is unable to take place in some areas because the sewerage system is already operating at or near capacity. Scottish Executive officials will be meeting both local authority and house-building industry rep…

19 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be possible for complaints made against local registrars of births, deaths and marriages to be investigated by the proposed Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Yes.

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary question to question S1O-4155 by Rhona Brankin on 22 November 2001, what stage its discussions with the Ministry of Defence on wind farms in tactical low flying areas have reached.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Discussions between ourselves and the Ministry of Defence are at an early stage. It is clearly important that the situation be clarified quickly, although it would be inappropriate to give details of these discussions until we have something substantive to re…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities on the control of Japanese knotweed.

Answer · Allan Wilson: No specific guidance has been issued. General queries on this topic are received from time to time, from both individuals and organisations, and information is provided to enquirers as required.Local authorities already have powers to take action where kno…

27 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to altering planning or other regulations to prevent trees cutting off daylight from nearby residential properties and what action it plans to take on this issue.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The planning system is intended to control "development" of the built environment, not the growth of trees and hedges, and we have no plans to change the system in that respect.The Executive issued a consultation paper in January 2000 to try to gauge the e…

5 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18877 by Ross Finnie on 2 November 2001, what revenue it expects to be allocated from the Aggregates Tax Sustainability Fund in 2002-03.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I have nothing to add to the answer given to question S1W-18893 on 2 November 2001.

5 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment has been made of the impact on the supply and demand of recycled and secondary aggregates as a result of the introduction of the aggregates tax.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The aggregate tax is a reserved matter. Detailed questions on the impact of the aggregates tax should be directed to HM Treasury. Although no separate assessment of the impact of the tax has been undertaken in Scotland, it is expected that the supply and dema…

5 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the impact which the introduction of the aggregates tax may have on haulage companies that carry aggregates.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The aggregates tax is a reserved matter. Assessment of the economic impact of the tax throughout the UK is a matter for HM Treasury.

5 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any proportion of the revenue from the Aggregates Tax Sustainability Fund will be allocated to it in the current financial year.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No. The Aggregates Levy comes into force in April 2002 and so the revenue from the Aggregates Levy will be allocated from 2002-03.

2 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18253 by Angus MacKay on 19 September 2001, where in the level 3 budget for transport the end year flexibility award of #32.1 million will be allocated.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The supporting documentation for the autumn budget revision, that I will lay in Parliament in early November, will show the allocation of End Year Flexibility. This revision will come to the Finance Committee for scrutiny and approval.

2 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18253 by Angus MacKay on 19 September 2001, where in the level 3 budget for justice the end year flexibility award of #48.7 million will be allocated.