Alex Neil

10 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the future of local authority social work departments and, in particular, whether any or all of these departments' services will be transferred, on either a statutory or non-statutory basis, to any other body or bodies.

Answer · Peter Peacock: We have no plans to take such action.</p>

10 Aug 2005 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many visitors to the Parliament have been found carrying knives since September 2004; how many knives have been (a) returned to the owner or (b) confiscated, and whether people carrying knives have been reported to the police.

Answer · George Reid: The number of knives seized from visitors to the Parliament by security staff since the recording system was introduced in November 2004 until the 13 August 2005 is 3,575.  The vast majority of these are the small pocket variety and are returned to the owner …

2 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would expect the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to agree to meet the sponsors of a proposed £16 million investment project designated for an area in Lanarkshire with high unemployment.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise.</p>

1 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it estimates that roadwork improvements to the Auchenkilns roundabout will be completed; what the original budget was for this project and what its latest estimate is of the cost of the current works.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The contractor expects the new junction to be fully open to traffic at Christmas 2005. The pre tender estimate for the construction of this scheme was £18.9 million. The tender price was more expensive than anticipated at £21.98 million. The contract is expec…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister of official will be attending the one-day conference on Developing Scottish Land Remediation being organised by the Environmental Industries Commission and IKM Consulting on 20 September 2005 and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is keen to engage in dialogue with the environment industryabout the issues being discussed at the conference and their wider impact on regeneration. These issues engage the interests of a range of ExecutiveDepartments. Officials from the Develo…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is for attracting privately-funded visitor attractions into and within Scotland.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Visitor attractions are an important part of the visitor experience in Scotland, as they are a part of a wide and rich diversity of offerings and products. VisitScotland supports any industry-led initiative that adds value to Scotland’s product offering and w…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the statement reported to me that Scottish Enterprise considers “that there are enough visitor attractions in Scotland”.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: There is a high-level of provision of visitor attractions in Scotland and any major new project could be associated with a high-level of displacement which could potentially undermine the viability of other attractions. However, Scottish Enterprise considers …

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its employability framework.

Answer · Allan Wilson: We propose to publish theframework later this year.</p>

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available for individuals and companies who are developing new business opportunities with Russia.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scottish Development International(SDI) supports Scottish business interests in Russia through its own services(including its representative in Moscow) and through partnerships with other organisations.</p><p>The assistance available includesa wide range of s…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the consultation and approval procedure is for re-organising local enterprise companies.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: There is no defined process.A minor change, such as the recent boundary change involving Moray, Badenoch andStrathspey was proposed by Highland and Islands Enterprise and agreed by the Executive. Werethere to be any proposals for more substantial change, such…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions it has issued to Scottish Enterprise in respect of its dispute with the staff of Careers Scotland.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive has not issued any instructions to Scottish Enterprise in respect of the pay dispute between itself and the staff of Careers Scotland. Under the delegated pay arrangements for non departmental public bodies, Scottish Enterprise as the employer, …

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now intervene in the industrial dispute between Scottish Enterprise and the staff of Careers Scotland with a view to reaching a settlement.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Under the terms of its Management Statement, Scottish Enterprise has full responsibility for conducting its own pay negotiations within the terms of a remit agreed beforehand with Scottish ministers. It is therefore for Scottish Enterprise, as the employer, t…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its itemised budget was for the G8 summit and from which source each item will be funded.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer to the answer to questionS2W-17796 on 28 July 2005. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available onthe Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search">http:…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer to question S2W-17796 by Mr Tom McCabe on 28 July 2005, whether it will list the costs already identified in relation to the G8 summit and indicate when a full assessment of costs will be available.

Answer · Tom McCabe: As indicated in my answer to question S2W-17796 on 28 July 2005, once the full costs have been established we will publish the information. It is likely to be later in the year before all the costs are known and a comprehensive statement can be published.</p>…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average response time to letters received by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department was in each of the last 12 months.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Information held centrally by the Ministerial Correspondence Unit provides average response times by working days for letters addressed to ministers which ministers or officials have replied to. A breakdown for each of the last 12 months for Environmental and…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average response time to letters received by its Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department was in each of the last 12 months.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Information held centrally by the Ministerial Correspondence Unit provides average response times by working days for letters addressed to ministers which ministers or officials have replied to. A breakdown for each of the last 12 months for the Enterprise an…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many letters addressed to ministers in the last year have not been seen by them.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The specific information requestedis not held centrally. </p><p>Ministers receive letters froma wide range of correspondents; some are replied to personally and others are forwardedto the Ministerial Correspondence Unit for recording and processing. There are…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would expect the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to agree to meet the sponsors of a £16 million investment project designated for an umployment blackspot in Lanarkshire.

27 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17638 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 July 2005, whether all the data collected by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons is reflected in the published reports.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Yes.</p>

20 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all those local authorities that were not given the opportunity by COSLA to bid for funding for a pilot scheme for the education of children in care will now be given the opportunity to bid for additional resources from the Scottish Executive and whether guidelines will be issued …

Answer · Peter Peacock: All local authorities hadthe opportunity to participate in this programme. I wrote to all 32 Chief Executives on 26 October 2004 announcing the £6 million additional funding for aprogramme of educational support for looked after children and advising themthat…

20 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in appointing a chief executive and board of advisers for the Co-operative Development Agency; what the terms and conditions of the chief executive will be; whether the board of advisers will be paid; what relationship the agency will have with (a) Scottish Ent…

Answer · Allan Wilson: Scottish Enterprise(SEn) has the operational responsibility for the establishment of theCo-operative Development Agency (CDA) since the new body will be set up as asubsidiary of SEn. It is anticipated that the CDA will governed by aDevelopment Plan and an Ope…

20 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatal and (b) serious accidents have occurred on the A76 in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The information requested isprovided in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>Fatal</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>Serious</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>Total</p> </…

20 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of upgrading the A76 to dual carriageway between Kilmarnock and Dumfries.

Answer · Tavish Scott: At today’s prices we wouldexpect such an upgrading to cost in excess of £500 million plus VAT. Howeverfirm estimates could only be provided after a detail analysis of options hasbeen undertaken.</p>

20 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of upgrading the A77 to dual carriageway from Whitletts Roundabout in Ayr to (a) Maybole and (b) Stranraer.

Answer · Tavish Scott: At today’s prices we wouldexpect dualling between Whitletts Roundabout and Maybole to cost in excess of £350million, and between Whitletts Roundabout and Stranraer in excess of £450 millionplus VAT. However, firm estimates could only be provided after detail …

20 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of all the schools designated as Schools of Ambition, including the criteria used for selecting these schools, the additional resources each will be allocated, what targets they have been set, what involvement the private sector will have and what review an…

Answer · Peter Peacock: These details are published onthe Scottish Executive’s website:</p><p>http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/News-Extras/schoolsambition.</p>

20 Jul 2005 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the total expenditure on IT equipment and software supplies has been in each year since 1999.

Answer · John Scott: <p class=MsoHeader>The total investment made per financial year on IT equipment and software supplies to enable and support the business of the Parliament, its Members, Members’ staff and SPCB staff since 1999, is listed in the table below.</p><table border=…

12 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost per prisoner was in each prison in each of the last five years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>I refer the member to myanswer to question S2W-16418 on 18 May 2005, which also applies to the last fiveyears. All answers to written parliam…

12 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what categories of prisoner are held at HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>Any male prisoner.</p>

12 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on when the draft code of practice for ministerial appointments to public bodies will be finalised and who is required to approve it.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Under section 2(4) of the Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc. (Scotland) Act 2003, the Commissioner for Public Appointmentsin Scotland must consult the Parliament and the ScottishExecutive and invite other persons to make representations as part of her…

8 Jul 2005 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the total expenditure on hospitality has been in each of the last three years by the Chief Executive and his staff and what the authorisation procedures are for such expenditure.

Answer · John Scott: The total expenditure on hospitality in each of the last three years by the SPCB was:</p> <p>2002-03 £62,300</p><p>2003-04 £54,800</p><p>2004-05 £41,500.</p><p>The majority of expenditure on hospitality is in respect of the Parliament’s external liaison activ…