Parliamentary questions

Alex Neil

3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new EU budget 2007-13 will have on Social Fund spending.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Under the agreement reached betweenmember states on the EU budget 2007-13 on 16 December 2005, Structural Funds will continue to be available throughout Scotland. However,this funding will be at levels reduced from what Scotland currently receives. Scotlandas…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new EU budget 2007-2013 will have on agricultural funding.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The new EU budget 2007-13 was agreed in December 2005. The total budget for EU expenditure 2007-13 has been set at €862.3 billion.</p> <p>Within this, provision for Pillar II of the CAP which funds agri-environment schemes and other rural development measures…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new EU budget 2007-13 will have on regional development funding.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Under the agreement reached between member states on the EU budget 2007-13 on 16 December 2005 Structural Funds will continue to be available throughout Scotland. It is not yet possible to quantify the economic impact of this agreement on regional development…

10 Jan 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown and description of the services performed in 2003-04 but charged to the accounts for 2004-05, as referred to in paragraph 63 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report.

Answer · John Scott: As advised by the commissioner, the breakdown and description of the services performed in 2003-04 but charged to the accounts for 2004-05 are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Services</p></td> …

10 Jan 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many firms took part in any tendering process for the provision of legal services to the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.

Answer · John Scott: The commissioner has undertaken two competitive tendering exercises for the provision of legal services, one in 2003 and the other in 2005.</p> <p>On both occasions, the commissioner has invited six firms, from Edinburgh and Glasgow to tender for the provisi…

10 Jan 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the salary/employment costs for 2003-04 and 2004-05 referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report.

Answer · John Scott: A breakdown of the salary costs referred to in table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standard Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p> </p></td> …

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of its review into a loophole in the law which allows valuation boards to designate each resident’s living space in Abbeyfield and other such homes as being liable for payment of full council tax.

Answer · George Lyon: We are currently considering the way forward and will make an announcement in due course. In the meantime, we are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and local authorities to ensure that individuals living in these homes are receiving the benefi…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reached a decision on whether to suspend the additional council tax payments being made by residents of Abbeyfield and other such homes resulting from the decision by the Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire valuation boards to designate each resident’s space as being liable for fu…

10 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 74 devolution issues dealt with by the Advocate-General (Official Report, House of Commons, 15 November 2005; Vol 439, c 808) were referred to her by the Executive or have involved discussions with the Executive and to what these issues related.

Answer · Colin Boyd: None were referred to the Advocate General by the Scottish Executive. Devolution issues are essentially questions which arise in court proceedings - predominantly in criminal cases - about whether legislation is within the legislative competence of the Scotti…

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid by the NHS in Scotland in each of the last five years in respect of medical negligence, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information held centrally on claim settlements made after April 2000 does not differentiate between clinical and non-clinical claims. The cost of settlements made in relation to clinical and, where appropriate, non-clinical claims against NHSScotland in …

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with the re-introduction of individual learning accounts; how many delivery organisations are participating in the scheme; what the breakdown is of participating learners by delivery agent, area and subject; how many employees have participated in the scheme, bro…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) were re-introduced in December 2004 with the launch of the ILA Scotland scheme. The first phase of ILA Scotland has made available a funding offer of up to £200 per year (ILA200) to adult learners on low income or on benefi…

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the process is for applying for a business learning account and what the eligibility criteria are for participation by (a) companies and (b) employees.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The process for applyingfor a BLA is the same as applying for any other form of financial assistance fromthe enterprise networks. These processes have been approved by Audit Scotland.</p><p>Businesses are madeaware of BLAs through a number of means including …

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with the introduction of business learning accounts; how many companies have participated in the scheme, broken down into small, medium or large businesses; how many employees have participated in the scheme, broken down by size of company and Local Enterprise Co…

Answer · Allan Wilson: Business learning accounts(BLAs) were piloted for a two year period from autumn 2003 to autumn 2005. The enterprisenetworks are not currently offering any new BLAs but those companies which havealready been awarded a BLA are able to continue implementing trai…

9 Jan 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the other running costs referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report.

Answer · John Scott: A breakdown of the other running costs referred to in table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standard’s 2004-05 Annual Report are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=466> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Other Running C…

9 Jan 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a breakdown of the legal costs referred to in Table 2 on page 10 of the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s 2004-05 Annual Report; whether the external use of lawyers was subject to a competitive tendering process, and for which of th…

Answer · John Scott: <p>Following a competitive tendering process in 2003, the SPCB approved the commissioner’s determination to appoint Anderson Strathern as his legal advisers. In one case, a separate firm, Simpson and Marwick were used because of a potential conflict of inter…

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the sickness rate in each of the last five years in the (a) Scottish Criminal Records Office and (b) fingerprint bureaux in (i) Glasgow, (ii) Aberdeen, (iii) Dundee and (iv) Edinburgh.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information available for sickness rates in the Scottish Criminal Record Office and the four fingerprint bureaux is shown below:</p> <p>Scottish Criminal Record Office – All Staff, including Fingerprint Officers</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpaddi…

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a technology strategy in parallel to A Science Strategy for Scotland and, if so, when.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Technology is recognised asa key strategic issue within the Scottish Executive’s <i>Framework for EconomicDevelopment in Scotland</i> and <i>A Smart Successful</i> <i>Scotland</i>. Weintend to update the <i>Science Strategy for Scotland</i> in the coming year…

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reactions of the print and electronic media have been to A Science Strategy for Scotland and whether there is evidence of any trend towards increasing in-depth coverage of science in the media as a result of the implementation of the strategy.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Media coverage of the launchof <i>A Science Strategy for Scotland</i> in August 2001 was very positive.</p><p>The Science Strategy commitsthe Executive to supporting initiatives that enable the media, scientists andpolicy makers to work more closely together …

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of students in secondary schools and in post-secondary institutions are enrolled in science and engineering courses; what the trends have been in such enrolments in recent years, and what specific measures are being considered to increase the proportion of these enrolments.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Information on entrants to National Qualifications science courses in Scottish secondary schools from 2000 to 2005 (figures for 2005 are pre-appeal); enrolments in science and engineering courses at Scottish colleges from 1999-2000 to 2003-04 and entrants to …

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific actions have been taken to implement its commitment, referred to in A Science Strategy for Scotland, to ensure the effective use of scientific evidence in policy formulation and resource allocation by government and to review regularly the policies and spending of each of it…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executivesubscribes to all the principles of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser’sGuidelines on the use of science in government, and implements these as fullyas it can.</p><p>The Executive usesscientific evidence, along with many other forms…

9 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has collected to monitor Scotland’s progress in maintaining or expanding its science and technology links across the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive doesnot collect information routinely which monitors links between the science andtechnology base in Scotland and elsewhere. Such links can take a very widevariety of forms, ranging from informal networking and conferences to formalcoll…

6 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £5 million to build a new car park at Croy railway station, announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 21 March 2002 (Official Report c. 10468) and included in Scotland's Transport: Delivering Improvements, is still available for the project a…

Answer · Tavish Scott: Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPTA) are responsible for the delivery of the new car park at Croy railway station, using the £5 million Scottish Executive award. Part of this award has been spent on acquisition of the land and the provision of a b…

6 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the new 250-space car park at Croy railway station, announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 21 March 2002 (Official Report c. 10468) and included in Scotland's Transport: Delivering Improvements, has not yet been built.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22025 on 10 February 2006. 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/weba…

5 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its procedures are for acknowledging and replying to e mail enquiries from members of the public and what targets have been set for how long it should take to acknowledge and reply to such enquiries.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Replies to e-mails are sent as quickly as possible and within 20 working days of receipt. If for any reason a full reply cannot be sent within 20 working days, an interim reply is sent explaining the reason for the delay and giving an indication of when a ful…

5 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether costs to it associated with deploying English and Welsh police officers during the G8 summit involved overtime payments for all or part of the time they spent in Scotland; what additional subsistence allowances were paid to these officers, and what other payments associated with t…

Answer · Tom McCabe: Officers from England and Wales were deployed under the mutual aid agreement between the Chief Constable of Tayside Police and the Chief Constables/Chief Officers of other forces for those forces to provide assistance during the G8 summit. This was in recogni…

5 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers from England and Wales were deployed on its behalf to help police the G8 summit.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21717 on 19 January 2006. 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/webap…

5 Jan 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was to it of deploying English and Welsh police officers during the G8 summit.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21718 on 20 January 2006. 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/webap…

19 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government in respect of the request by the Council of Europe for its members to communicate any knowledge they have regarding the transfer of individuals across European borders by the CIA as part of the process of extraordinary rendition in…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Scotland is represented on the Council of Europe by the UK Government. The Scottish Executive will co-operate with the UK Government in the preparation of responses to such enquiries as required.</p>

19 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the definition of kidnap is within Scots Law.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The equivalent crime in Scots Law is abduction and I refer to my answer to question S2W-21871 on 18 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href=…

16 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-17566 and S2W-17792 by Patricia Ferguson on 18 July and 5 August 2005, how it can justify its position of believing that Scotland will benefit from London hosting the 2012 Olympic Games, given that the report of the impact study into the Games, und…

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The findings of the Price Waterhouse Cooper report are based on what will happen if no action is taken. The UK and Scottish Governments are committed to ensuring that the benefits of London 2012 are spread across the UK. The main route for this is through the…