Parliamentary questions

Alex Neil

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

10 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to objective 1, target 2 of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning chapter of its Draft Budget 2004-05, which quartile of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries Scotland's level of business investment in research and development falls into; how much…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Organisation forEconomic Co-operation and Development (OECD) monitors research and development(R&D) spending by 29 member countries. The latest available figures referto 2001.In terms of expenditure bybusinesses on R&D as a percentage of Gr…

10 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current level of award to individual students' is from the disabled students' allowance as part of the programme for wider access to higher education; what plans there are to increase the current level of award from the allowance; how many students have been granted an award from…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Eligible full-time studentscan receive support from the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) of up to £12,070each year comprising a basic allowance of up to £1,490 and a non-medicalpersonal help allowance of up to £11,280. A further payment of up to £4,460 forth…

10 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations took place, and when, with stakeholders with regard to the appointment and remit of the control room study of the Scottish Fire Service by Mott MacDonald Communication and Controls Division; who was consulted, and whether any changes were made to the remit of the study …

Answer · Hugh Henry: The consultation paper the Scottish Fire Service of the Future, which was published in April 2002,expressed an intention to review control room arrangements in Scotland. Responsesby stakeholder interests during that consultation process were reflected …

10 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when Mott MacDonald Communication and Controls Division was commissioned to review the operation of fire service control rooms; what the remit of the review is; what the value is of Mott MacDonald's consultancy contract; what criteria were applied in appointing the company; how many compa…

Answer · Hugh Henry: An intention to review future control room arrangements in Scotland was expressed in our policy consultation paper The Scottish Fire Service of the Future published in April 2002 and confirmed in our recent publication The Scottish Fire Service: Pro…

8 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations it has made to Her Majesty's Government in respect of the proposal to establish a coterminosity commission, in particular on the principle of establishing the commission, its remit, composition, staffing and timetable for reporting

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty’s Government on a wide range ofissues, including those arising from its welcome decision to legislate in thecurrent session to maintain the size of the Scottish Parliament. In thisconnection, in li…

8 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it has had with Her Majesty's Government on the terms of reference for the proposed commission on the coterminosity of parliamentary boundaries in Scotland, in particular on its membership, budget, staffing and timetable for reporting.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-4778 on 13 January 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what remit has been issued to the Accounts Commission for Scotland in respect of verifying the achievements of the Scottish Fire Service prior to, and as a pre-condition of, the full implementation of the pending pay award to firefighters; whether the remit has been published; what consul…

Answer · Hugh Henry: The pay and modernisationagreement signed on 13 June 2003 states that the pay increases payable from 7 November 2003 and1 July 2004 are subject to: “verification by the AuditCommission (England and Wales), the Accounts Commission (Scotland)and Governme…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what parts of the fire service integrated risk management plan guidance framework are being implemented; in which fire services the framework is being partially, or wholly, implemented; what consultations took place prior to implementation; what the estimated cost of implementation is, an…

Answer · Hugh Henry: Fire Service Circular 4/2003dated 3 April 2003, issued by HM Fire Service Inspectorate for Scotland, advisedfire authorities that the Executive, as part of its proposals for developing theservice, supported the introduction of a risk-based method of intervent…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the budget of its department dealing with enterprise, and the department's agencies, was spent on management and administration in each of the last three years and how much will be spent in each of the next three years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The percentage of ScottishEnterprise’s budget spent on management and administration was 18.8% in2000-01, 17.3% in 2001-02 and 30.3% in 2002-03. The increase in 2002-03 was dueto the integration of Careers Scotland into the enterprise networks and thecosts as…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the items covered under other enterprise and lifelong learning in each of the three financial years covered by table 6.01 on page 96 of its Draft Budget 2004-05.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Adetailed breakdown of the items covered under the heading “other enterprise andlifelong learning” in each of the three financial years covered by table 6.01on page 96 of the Scottish Executive’s Draft Budget 2004-05 is available on page 118 intable 6.09 in t…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the (a) 7% reduction in the budget for regional selective assistance between 2003-04 and 2004-05 and (b) 20% rise in that budget between 2004-05 and 2005-06 and what impact these changes will have on overall levels of business investment.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Regional selective assistance(RSA) is a demand-led scheme rather than planned expenditure. Demand isgenerally determined by prevailing economic conditions and by the progress madeby individual firms in implementing grant-assisted projects. The RSA budget isba…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the 4% reduction in the planned budget of Scottish Enterprise between 2003-04 and 2005-06 and what budgets will be affected by this reduction.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The 2002 spending reviewprovided for an increase in funding to Scottish Enterprise. This involved anincrease towards the end of the period to be allocated to skills and learning(although that portion relating to individual learning accounts hassubsequently be…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to objective 4, target 6 of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning chapter of its Draft Budget 2004-05, which quartile of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries Scotland's gap in unemployment rates between the worst 10% of areas and the average fall…

Answer · Jim Wallace: 1. It is not possible tomake an international comparison on this measure.2. Difference inunemployment rates between the worst 10% of areas and the Scottish average overthe last three years is:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> …

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to objective 5, target 9 of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning chapter of its Draft Budget 2004-05, which quartile of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries Scotland's proportion of the workforce that are graduates falls into; what percentage of…

Answer · Jim Wallace: 1. In 2001, Scotland was17th in a 31-country sample with graduates making up 16% of the workforce(taken as 25- to 64-year-olds), placing it in the third quartile. 2001 is themost recent year this data is available for international comparisons.2. The l…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to objective 3, target 4 of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning chapter of its Draft Budget 2004-05, whether increasing the number of modern apprenticeships (MAs) to over 25,000 by 2006 represents a change of policy from its target of 30,000; if so, why the target has bee…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The statement in the DraftBudget 2004-05, concerning the increase in the number of MAs to 25,000 by 2006,was an outcome of the 2002 spending review and was reported in Building aBetter Scotland. This target was subsequently revised when the partnership…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when its review of higher education will report in respect of any consequences of the proposed introduction of top-up fees in English universities.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I expect to receive thereport from the Phase 3 Higher Education Review Steering Group by the end ofFebruary 2004.

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3973 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 November 2003, how the statement that "in general terms, the implications for Scotland of UK membership of the Euro are similar to the UK as a whole" is consistent with the statement that "the specific effects of monetary…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish EconomicReport article reflects the fact that the UK and Scottish economies havesimilar structures, and that they share common macro-economic and fiscalregimes.The statement that “ingeneral terms, the implications for Scotland of UK…

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the value has been of consultancy contracts awarded by its department dealing with enterprise, and each of the department's agencies, to Ernst and Young in (a) the current financial year and (b) each of the last three financial years, and what percentage of these contracts was award…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The value of contractsawarded by the Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department to Ernstand Young in 2003-04 to date is £415,798.23, for the provision of financial advicein relation to the renewal of the Scottish passenger rail franchise. This is …

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the planned allocations by Scottish Enterprise to Forth Valley Enterprise from 2004-05 to 2006-07.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Enterprise.

5 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it, and each of its agencies, have committed to the implementation of the Falkirk Action Plan in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) each of the next three years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive does not directly fund the Falkirk Action Plan. The Falkirk Action Planwas launched in December 2002 with three principal partners: Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley,Falkirk Council and BP. The detail of Scottish Enterprise’s involvement…

4 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3412 by Cathy Jamieson on 12 November 2003, who the two experts were who verified the initial identification made by the fingerprint expert at the Glasgow bureau.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The bureau submits theverified identification into evidence with details of the experts involved. Inthe interests of an individual’s right to privacy, however, it is not thepractice of the bureau to release publicly the names of individual expertsinvolved in …

4 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3412 by Cathy Jamieson on 12 November 2003, whether it was the initial identification of the scene of crime mark or a subsequent verification that was made on less than the standard of 16 points.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Both the initialidentification of the scene of crime mark and the subsequent verification weremade on less than the standard of 16 points. As indicated in the answer toquestion S2W-3412 on 12 November 2003, because of this, the case was referred to the qualit…

3 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider removing control over fingerprinting services from the police to a national fingerprint service.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The future structure,organisation and oversight of all common police services in Scotland,including the Scottish Criminal Records Office which is currently responsiblefor the Scottish Fingerprint Service, is being considered as part of an on-goingreview.

3 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3454 by Colin Boyd QC on 12 November 2003, whether it will now record incidents when Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) fingerprint evidence is challenged and record, and publish, the number of cases where SCRO fingerprinting evidence has not bee…

Answer · Colin Boyd: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-4433. All answers to written parliamentary questionsare available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">ht…

3 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3509 by Colin Boyd QC on 14 November 2003, what the justification is of the Lord Advocate's satisfaction with the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) Scottish Fingerprinting Service and its adoption of an appropriate quality assurance management s…

Answer · Colin Boyd: As a result of theindependent verification of SCRO fingerprint evidence and the quality assurancemeasures adopted by SCRO, I am satisfied as to the quality of fingerprintevidence from experts employed by SCRO. The decision not to use such evidencein one case …

3 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3412 by Cathy Jamieson on 12 November 2003, on what basis the quality assurance manager of the bureau confirmed the identification of the fingerprint.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The quality assurance managerconfirmed the identification in accordance with the operating procedures of thebureau. These procedures stipulate that an identification made by an expert andindependently verified by two other experts on less than the existing st…

3 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it announced that it was no longer seeking independent external checks of fingerprint evidence provided by the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO); who was involved in the decision, and what criteria were taken into account.

Answer · Colin Boyd: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16832. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">htt…

3 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it, and its agencies, use to determine whether legal aid should be provided for defendants requesting independent assessment of fingerprinting evidence presented by the Scottish Criminal Record Office.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The granting or refusal ofcriminal legal aid is entirely a matter for the Scottish Legal Aid Board insummary criminal cases and for the courts in solemn criminal cases. Scottish ministersare expressly prohibited by the terms of section 3 of the Legal Aid (Sco…

3 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to ensure that the introduction of non-numeric fingerprinting is done professionally and can meet international standards of quality and judicial reliability.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: A move to a non-numericstandard, in line with international practice, requires careful preparation,including training of those involved, to ensure that evidence given is of thenecessary quality. This preparation is being taken forward by the Associationof Chi…

3 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3539 by Cathy Jamieson on 18 November 2003, when the review will now report and whether the Executive will consider removing control over forensic services from police forces to a national forensic service.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The review, which is beingled by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, isexpected to report in the New Year. We will consider the future provision of police forensic science services in the light of that report.