Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
10 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what checks are in place to ensure that all appointments to non-departmental public bodies that fall outwith the Commissioner for Public Appointment's remit are made in accordance with the commissioner's code of practice and guidance.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Appointments to all non-departmental public bodies for which Scottish ministers have responsibility fall within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments and thus appointments to all of these bodies are made in accordance with her code of practice.
10 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it had any involvement in the appointment of Caledonian MacBrayne's European Funding Manager; whether any assessment was made of potential conflicts of interest and, if so, whether any conflicts of interest were identified.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The role of Scottish ministers in relation to Caledonian MacBrayne appointments is confined to Directors. The decision to appoint a State Aids Manager was taken by the company. There was no need for consultation with the Executive and none took place.
10 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has held formal discussions with the Scottish Prison Service about the contract with Premier Prison Services Ltd to run HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer · Jim Wallace: As part of the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Prison Service advises and has discussions with ministers on all relevant aspects of prisons as necessary including contractual matters, for example, in connection with the estates review. There have been no sep…
10 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many breaches of security there have been in the health centre in HM Prison Kilmarnock in each year since the centre opened.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The Scottish Prison Service is not aware of any failures of security procedures - as defined in Performance Measure 2.1(i) in Schedule F of the…
10 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18897 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 2 November 2001, how many people have enrolled in the (a) employment, (b) full-time education and training, (c) voluntary sector and (d) environmental task force options of the New Deal for Young People since the scheme…
Answer · Iain Gray: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of the New Deal. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing Scottish organisations.<P>The following table details the fig…
10 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13491 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 23 March 2001, how many people have now participated in the New Deal for Young People more than once since the scheme's inception, broken down by unit of delivery.
Answer · Iain Gray: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of the New Deal. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing Scottish organisations.<P>The following table details the num…
10 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a detailed breakdown of staffing at HM Prison Kilmarnock by occupation category and what proportion of the staff live in the Kilmarnock and Loudoun postcode areas.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>This is a matter for Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd.
10 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current design capacity is of each Scottish Prison Service prison and what the average daily prisoner population was in each prison in the most recent year for which figures are available.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Detailed in the table is the current design capacity and average prisoner population (2001-02) for each Scottish Prison Service establishment.<…
7 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28673 by Mr Jack McConnell on 24 September 2002, whether it will detail all the Deputy Minister for Justice's diary engagements since 1 June 2002.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28963 on 19 September 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:<P><A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliame…
3 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made for free central heating installation in each of the 10 Scottish parliamentary constituencies in Central Scotland under its central heating programme; how many of these applications have been approved, and how many installations have been carried out.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The information requested is not collected on a constituency basis. However, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29435 on 8 October 2002, which provides a breakdown of the number of heating systems installed in the local authority and housi…
2 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioner households currently (a) have and (b) do not have central heating, broken down by local authority area and parliamentary constituency
Answer · Hugh Henry: The information requested is not held centrally. The programme to deliver central heating to all local authority and housing association stock will be completed during 2004 and for tenants transferring from Glasgow City Council to a new social landlord during…
2 Oct 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any aspect of its policies has been amended as a result of representations made by any member of the Royal Family since May 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Executive ministers exchange correspondence with members of the Royal Family from time to time on a range of matters. All such correspondence is treated as private and confidential.
30 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any decision has been made to locate the offices of the public sector ombudsman in Edinburgh and, if so, what consultation took place prior to such a decision.
Answer · Peter Peacock: This is a matter for the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, who is independent of the Scottish Executive and Parliament.
25 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29050 by Mr Jim Wallace on 20 September 2002, whether it will detail any occasions on which the (a) dispute resolution procedures under the bilateral concordats at (i) senior official and (ii) ministerial level have been used and (b) Joint Ministeria…
Answer · Jim Wallace: There has been no recourse to the dispute resolution procedures under the bilateral concordats. Neither has the Joint Ministerial Committee had to intervene to resolve a dispute since May 1999.
25 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Sector Skills Development Agency is classified as a cross-border public authority within the terms of the Scotland Act 1998.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Sector Skills Development Agency is not classified as a cross-border public authority within the terms of the Scotland Act 1998. It is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Education and Skills.
25 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28385 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 September 2002, why it did not detail in that answer how many times, and with regard to what appointments, within European Union institutions it has been consulted by Her Majesty's Government since May 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The answer given to question S1W-28385 reflects the confidential nature of discussions between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government regarding these appointments.
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer by the First Minister to the question by Mr John Swinney during the point of order on 30 May 2002 (Official Report, c 12522), whether it will list each European Union Council of Ministers meeting where Scottish ministers have led the delegation in particular discuss…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The detail of exchanges within EU Council of Ministers meetings is confidential. The agenda and conclusions of the relevant meetings are available on the Europa website at: www.europa.eu.int.
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement about its policy regarding proportional representation for local government elections.
Answer · Andy Kerr: We have today placed both in the Parliament's Reference Centre and on the Executive's website a summary of responses to the issues raised in the consultation on the White Paper <I>Renewing Local Democracy: the Next Steps</I>. <P>In relation to the electoral s…
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what baseline figure will be used to measure and monitor each of targets 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10 in the tourism, culture and sport section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer · Elaine Murray: Technical Notes setting out the detail for each target in <I>Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys</I> will be available shortly. The Technical Notes will include information on definitions, who will gather the data, how…
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown of the spending on enterprise and education by its departments in each of the last three years and as planned for each of the next three years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Detailed spending plans by portfolio for the last three years were provided in the <I>Annual Expenditure Report: The Scottish Budget</I> published in March 2002. The Draft Budget Document published in October will provide detailed information on spending plan…
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the savings made from the Business Transformation Project will be re-allocated in each year to 2003-06, as referred to in the enterprise and lifelong learning section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer · Iain Gray: As indicated in <I>Building a Better Scotland</I>, Scottish Enterprise will achieve savings of approximately £45 million a year from its Business Transformation project over the three-year period of the Spending Review. <P>Scottish Enterprise have stated in t…
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown of the (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise spending plans in relation to the career service budget, as set out in the enterprise and lifelong learning section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Careers Scotland budgets are now the responsibility of the Enterprise Networks. Further information on Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise budgets will be set out in the Draft Budget Document published in October.
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council spending plans by academic subject, as set out in the enterprise and lifelong learning section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer · Iain Gray: The allocation of funds to individual higher education institutions (HEIs) is a matter for the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC), which currently decides detailed allocations on an annual cycle. Around March each year SHEFC sets out the funds …
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the spending plans for regional selective assistance include monies set aside for the new venture capital fund, as referred to in the enterprise and lifelong learning section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer · Iain Gray: Yes.
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown of "enterprise and lifelong learning other", as listed in the spending plans table in the enterprise and lifelong section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer · Andy Kerr: A breakdown of the level 2 baseline "the enterprise and lifelong learning other" figures for the years 2003-06, contained in the enterprise and lifelong section of <I>Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys</I>, …
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those joint academic and industry ventures that are currently assisted, as referred to in target 10 in the enterprise and lifelong learning section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer · Iain Gray: Although the spending proposals refer to future years, there is a great deal of work under way to ensure that this target is met and it is anticipated that at least 150 such ventures will be supported by the Executive and its agencies through, for example, SM…
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what baseline figure will be used to measure and monitor the number of graduates as a proportion of the workforce, as referred to in target 9 in the enterprise and lifelong learning section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer · Iain Gray: The baseline figure for measurement of this target will be the figure for the calendar year 2001. Labour Force Survey Statistics show that the proportion of graduates in the workforce in 2001 is 18%. Data at the Scottish level will be published annually in th…
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what baseline figures will be used to measure and monitor the number of 16- to 19-year-olds from low income families staying on at school or attending further education colleges, as referred to in target 8 in the enterprise and lifelong learning section of Building a Better Scotland - Spe…
Answer · Iain Gray: Baseline figures for measurement of these targets will be derived from the academic year 2001-02. The target end date will be 2007-08. This will be confirmed once the programme for rolling out Education Maintenance Allowances<I> </I>(EMAs) has been set.<P>Thi…
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what definition will be used of low income families in relation to increasing support to 16- to 19-year-olds, as referred to in target 8 in the enterprise and lifelong learning section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer · Iain Gray: In our pilots of Educational Maintenance Allowances (EMA), support for 16- to 19-year-olds is targeted at families whose income is less than £25,000 per annum.<P>Details of how EMAs will be rolled out will be announced in due course. An evaluation of the curr…
19 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what baseline figure will be used to measure and monitor the proportion of 16- to 19-year-olds not in education, training and employment, as referred to in target 7 in the enterprise and lifelong learning section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money b…
Answer · Iain Gray: The baseline figure against which performance on this target will be measured is 14% based on Quarter 1 (spring) 2001 figures from the the Labour Force Survey.