Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2776 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 September 2003, what percentage of new start businesses that it and its agencies assisted in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) 2002 are now registered for VAT.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requestedis not held centrally.</p>
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2782 by Mr Andy Kerr on 30 September 2003, whether it will publish its input to the Allsopp Review, including any recommendations made to it or Her Majesty's Government in respect of regional inflation indicators.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has no plans to publish its contribution to the Allsopp Review, howeverit will be made available on the Treasury website, in due course, as part of the Allsopp Review reporting arrangements.</p><p>One of the key messages fromthe Scottis…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2779 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 September 2003, how it will know whether it has achieved its goal of raising the quality of life in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The answer given to questionS2W-2779 noted that <i>The Way Forward: A Framework for Economic Development inScotland</i> describes the overarching strategy within which more detailedpolicy programmes take place rather than describing detailed measurabletargets…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it and its agencies spent in total on the regulation and inspection of care services in each year since 1999.
Answer · Tom McCabe: No information is held centrally on the cost of the local authority and health board regulation andinspection regime in 1999-2000 and 2000-01. However, the total costs of theCare Commission’s operations in 2002-03 were £19,544,900, excluding severancepayments…
8 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the quality of information it provides in its answers to parliamentary questions.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Each question is consideredvery carefully with the aim of providing an answer that is helpful to themember asking the question. The Executive has been working closely with theProcedures Committee on monitoring Parliamentary questions and answers, and iswillin…
6 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address bed blocking in the NHS.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The delayed discharge actionplan we launched on 5 March last year set out a range of short- and long-termmeasures designed to reduce the number of people whose discharge from hospitalis delayed. Since then, this number has been substantially reduced.</p><p>In…
25 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or any of its agencies, has received any requests in respect of the disposal of toxic waste from ships in Teesside.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Members of the Scottish Parliamentand others have raised concerns about the possible transit of vessels from the US to Teessideto be scrapped. The Scottish Executive has not, however, had any requests concerningthe disposal of toxic waste arising from ships o…
25 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the Care Commission's staff have accepted severance since it was set up; how many of these had served with the Commission for (a) six months or less (b) six to 12 months and (c) longer than 12 months, and what the total cost of such severance payments was to the Executive.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2946 today, which is available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…
25 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals were offered severance payment, or given the option to work for the Care Commission, when it was set up; what percentage of these accepted severance payments, and what the total cost to the Executive and local authorities was of such payments.
Answer · Tom McCabe: In January 2002, the Scottish Executive offered a severance payment or continued employment with the Care Commissionto all employees of local authority and health board registration and inspectionunits (R&I) who met the following criteria:</p><p>1. Any em…
22 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much foreign direct investment there has been in each of the last five years, broken down by sector and expressed also as a percentage of the total foreign direct investment into the (a) United Kingdom and (b) EU.
Answer · Jim Wallace: 1. The figures for inward investmentinto Scotland by sector are provided in the following tables:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>1998-99</p> </td> <td> <p>Projects</p> </td> <td> <p>Jobs</p> </td> <td…
19 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence there is to support the statement made in chapter 4 of the Scottish Economic Report September 2003, that "the specific effects (of UK Membership of EMU) might be different due to the structure of the Scottish economy, but such differences are likely to be of degree rather t…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2789. 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…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, an assessment of the likely impact of UK membership of the euro on foreign investment into Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2785 today. All answers to 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/search_wa…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, available an assessment of whether there is sufficient flexibility within the Scottish economy to deal with issues arising from any asymmetric economic shocks resulting from UK membership of the euro.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2785 today. All answers to 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/search_wa…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, available an assessment of the impact of UK membership of the euro on the housing market in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2785 today. All answers to 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/search_wa…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence there is to support the statement in chapter 4 of its Scottish Economic Report September 2003, that, in general terms, the implications for Scotland of UK membership of the euro are similar to those for the UK as a whole.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The comments made in the <i>Scottish Economic Report</i> article reflect the Executive viewthat the UK and Scottish economies have broadlysimilar structures; that they share common overarching macro economic andfiscal regimes, and that similar economic transm…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it submitted any evidence or had any research input into the Chancellor of the Exchequer's assessment of the five economic tests for UK membership of the euro, and, if so, whether it will made copies of its submission, available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Andy Kerr: A decision as to whether or notto recommend UK entry into European Monetary Union is a reserved matter.However, the Scottish Executive has been in regular contact with both HM Treasuryand the Scotland Office regarding euro preparations.</p>
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact UK entry to the euro would have on the levels of growth, employment and investment in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2785 today. 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…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact UK entry to the euro would have on the competitive position of Scotland's financial services industry.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2785 today. All answers to 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/search_wa…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake an assessment of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's five economic tests regarding the impact that UK membership of the euro would have on the Scottish economy.
Answer · Jim Wallace: No, the Executive does not intendto undertake such an assessment.</p>
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had into the establishment of regional inflation indicators by Her Majesty's Government.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Office for National Statistics(ONS) is adopting two parallel initiatives to meet the demand for regional priceindicators. The first initiative will be to generate estimates, in the short-term,from existing sources of data, subject to these meeting minimum…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to The Way Forward: Framework for Economic Development in Scotland, how it measures quality of life, what progress it has made towards achieving its stated goal of raising the quality of life for all the people in Scotland, and what percentage of people have had their qual…
Answer · Jim Wallace: <i>The Way Forward: Frameworkfor Economic Development in Scotland</i>,describes the overarching structure within which more detailed policy programmestake place rather than describing detailed measurable targets.</p>
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to The Way Forward: Framework for Economic Development of Scotland, how it measures the enhancement of productivity in enterprises; what progress it has made towards achieving its stated goal of enhancing productivity throughout all Scottish enterprises, and what percentag…
Answer · Jim Wallace: <i>The Way Forward: Frameworkfor Economic Development in </i><i>Scotland</i>, describes the overarching structure within which moredetailed policy programmes take place rather than describing detailed measurabletargets.</p><p>The standard international method…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to The Way Forward: Framework for Economic Development in Scotland, how it measures better equipping our children for the demands of the global economy, what progress it has made towards achieving this goal, and what percentage of children are now "better equipped" than in…
Answer · Jim Wallace: <i>The Way Forward: Framework for Economic Development in </i><i>Scotland</i>, describes the overarching structure within which detailed policy programmes will be developed rather than describing detailed measurable targets. Chapter 2, section 2 of the most r…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive with reference to The Way Forward: Framework for Economic Development in Scotland, how it measures the rate of new business formation; how many new businesses have been formed in each area of Scotland in each of the last three years, and what its targets are for new business formation ra…
Answer · Jim Wallace: <i>The Way Forward: Frameworkfor Economic Development in Scotland</i>describes the overarching structure within which detailed policy programmes cantake place rather than describing detailed measurable targets. The primary officialdata source on new business …
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are being made and what procedure is being followed to advertise, interview, shortlist and appoint a new chair for the board of Scottish Enterprise.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The appointment of the new ScottishEnterprise Chair will be made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued bythe Commissioner for Public Appointments. </p><p>Adverts for this post appearedin the press on 20 June with a closing date of 1<sup> </sup>August…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is using to measure the success of the economy; what targets it has set for each of these measures, and what the actual performance has been for each measure in each of the last three years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The performance of an economymay be assessed using a number of indicators ranging from macroeconomic indicators,such as Gross Domestic Product, employment and unemployment, to an array of microeconomicindicators including, for example, those identified in <i>…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is using to assess performance on its key economic aim of improving Scotland's skills base, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: To assess performance againstthe aim of improving Scotland’s skill base we have a range of indicators as publishedin <i>Measuring Scotland’s Progress towards Smart, Successful Scotland</i>, andin the Lifelong Learning Strategy <i>Life Through Learning: Learni…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is using to assess the effectiveness of its efforts to promote Scotland as a good place to live and work; what targets it has set for each of these measures, and what action it is taking to achieve them, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jack McConnell: We are currently preparing plansto take forward the Fresh Talent initiative including improved promotion of Scotland abroadand the establishment of a one-stop advisory service for those wishing to live andwork in Scotland. Targets will be considered in due co…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is using to assess the effectiveness of its efforts to encourage a culture of enterprise; what targets it has set for each of these measures, and what action it is taking to achieve them, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive’s targets in relationto enterprise are set out in <i>Building a Better Scotland</i> (BABS) which waspublished in September 2002. As is noted in BABS, several of these targets are derivedfrom the progress measures set out in <i>Measuring </i><i>S…
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is using to assess the effectiveness of its efforts to reduce social deprivation; what targets it has set for each of these measures, and what action it is taking to achieve them, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive measures progressagainst the 29 social justice milestones as reported in the <i>Social Justice AnnualReport 2002</i>, which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/emsjm-00.asp">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/soci…