Alex Neil

27 Feb 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce the Public Appointments and Public Bodies (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Before the summer recess.

12 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which political parties were invited to submit nominations for the Independent Assessors appointed on 29 January 2002 and which parties replied.

Answer · Andy Kerr: All the political parties represented in the Scottish Parliament and the independent member were invited by letter on 27 June 2001, to identify individuals who might be considered for appointment as an Independent Assessor. None of the parties nor the indepen…

11 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many conveners of committees of the Parliament, which it invited to nominate Independent Assessors, replied to the invitation and whom any convener nominated.

Answer · Andy Kerr: None of the convenors of the parliamentary committees replied to the invitation to identify individuals who might be considered for appointment as an Independent Assessor.

11 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many conveners of committees of the Parliament it invited to nominate candidates for selection as Independent Assessors.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The convenors of all the parliamentary committees were asked in June 2001 to identify individuals who might be considered for appointment as an Independent Assessor.

5 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister had in either the appointment, or authorisation of the appointment, of the 12 new Independent Assessors.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Under the terms of the Scottish Ministerial Code, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister must be consulted about all major appointments and are bound equally by the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, as are all ministers.

5 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give any details of each organisation to which it wrote in order to request nominations for the 12 new Independent Assessor posts.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer to the member to the answer given to question S1W-22756.

5 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a copy of any letter that it sent to organisations in order to request nominations for the 12 new Independent Assessor posts.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The following is a copy of the letter issued on 27 June 2001:<P>Dear Sir/Madam<B><P>INDEPENDENT ASSESSOR POSTS TO OVERSEE THE PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS PROCESS IN SCOTLAND</B><P>I am writing to seek your assistance in identifying individuals who might be considered…

5 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of any organisations that responded to any request for nominations for the 12 new Independent Assessor posts.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Although none of the organisations approached submitted nominations, we understand that individuals were notified that a competition to fill these vacancies was underway. The range of applicants in terms of their backgrounds and geographical locations indicat…

5 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations nominated each applicant for the 12 new Independent Assessor posts.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22755 on 25 February 2002.

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used to select the successful candidates for the recent vacancies for Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies and who carried out the interviews.

Answer · Andy Kerr: All applications received were sifted by an appointments panel, not by ministers, against the criteria set out in the person specification and job description. They were approved by the UK Commissioner for Public Appointments.<P>Interviews were carried out by…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive where the vacancies for Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies were advertised and on what dates.

Answer · Andy Kerr: These posts were advertised on the Executive's website between 27 June and 3 August 2001. In addition, letters inviting nominations were sent to over 100 organisations, including conveners of the Parliament's subject committees, a PQ was tabled and a News Rel…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long it took from the closing date for applications to appoint the 12 new Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The closing date for applications was 31 July 2001. The appointments were announced on 29 January 2002. Ministerial changes last autumn contributed to the delay in final decisions being made.

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the 15 candidates who were rejected as Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies asked for an official explanation for their rejection.

Answer · Andy Kerr: All those who were unsuccessful were offered an explanation for their rejection. They were also offered an opportunity to meet with officials to discuss the outcome of the panel's deliberations.<P>One candidate took up the offer of a meeting and three others …

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies are given in order to carry out their official duties.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Assessors must attend a one-day induction programme which focuses on their roles and responsibilities. The Commissioner for Public Appointments, who also attends each event, agrees the content of these training days. Where possible, assessors are also encoura…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total spending of all public bodies for which it was responsible for was in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is set out in the table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=245><TR><TD WIDTH="35%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Year</TD><TD WIDTH="65%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Total Gross Expenditure</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="35%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>1999-2000</…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who have served in each of the past three years were also appointed members of an NDPB under the responsibility of either it or Her Majesty's Government.

Answer · Andy Kerr: In 1999, seven out of a total of 28 assessors held public appointments. In 2000, five out of a total of 16 held appointments and in 2001, four out of a total of 14.<P>All those involved were appointed as assessors prior to devolution. Following devolution, th…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are currently appointed members of an NDPB under the responsibility of either it or Her Majesty's Government.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Five. <P>Four of these sit on bodies sponsored by the Executive. These appointments were made prior to devolution. Following devolution, the commissioner's advice was sought as to whether these four assessors could remain in post. Her view was that since they…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the process by which each of the 12 new Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies announced by the Minister for Finance and Public Services on 29 January 2002 were appointed.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Details of the open competition to fill Independent Assessor vacancies were announced in question S1W-16557 on 27 June 2001. Details were also contained in an Executive news release and published on the Executive's website. In addition, letters inviting nomin…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a commitment to cancel the appointments of the current team of Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies and initiate another selection process, based on the new procedures for their selection as set out by the De…

Answer · Andy Kerr: No. Each individual was appointed on merit. It will be for the Scottish Commissioner for Public Appointments, once in post, to determine when and how future independent assessors should be appointed and to evaluate on an ongoing basis the performance of all i…

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies it has received each time such vacancies have been advertised in each of the past three years.

Answer · Andy Kerr: A new system for recruiting independent assessors which involved seeking applicants from a wide range of backgrounds was introduced for the first time in 2001. Twenty-seven applications were received.

1 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the political affiliation was of each of the applicants who put their names forward to be Independent Assessors to oversee the ministerial appointments to non-departmental public bodies when such vacancies have been advertised in each of the past three years.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Assessors have been appointed twice during the past three years. In 2000, the Minister for Finance invited nominations from the Conservative and Scottish National Parties by writing to their parliamentary spokesmen. He also asked the Convenor of the Equal Opp…

17 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it first received representations from individuals alleging that Individual Learning Account providers had claimed incentives without individuals' knowledge.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: We first received such representations on 8 August 2001.

17 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there was an overspend on the Individual Learning Accounts scheme and, if so, what amount was involved.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The final costs of the scheme for the current year are not yet known but as part of the normal budget monitoring process the department has been advised by the Enterprise Networks of the possibility of an overspend. As a result, the department has made availa…

16 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representation (a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (c) its Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department have on the Pharmaceutical Liaison Group.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Pharmaceutical Liaison Group is an informal forum designed to allow discussion of matters of shared interest to the Health Department, NHSScotland and pharmaceutical interests. As such, none of the organisations mentioned in the question have representati…

11 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11438 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 January 2001, what the average annual cost to the taxpayer will be of each prisoner place in each Scottish Prison Service prison other than HM Prison Kilmarnock in (a) real cash terms and (b) net present value terms over…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The information is not available.

11 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to co-ordinate the establishment of the NHS Technology Transfer Office with that of the proposed Technology Transfer Office for academic services funded by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We are not aware of any specific proposal by the Scottish Health Education Funding Council (SHEFC) to establish a Technology Transfer Office for academic services. The Scottish Executive Health Department has on-going and effective links with SHEFC to ensure …

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for the decision to pass Compound Semiconductor Technologies Ltd into private ownership.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Compound Semiconductor Technologies Ltd has developed successfully as a centre of excellence for the commercialisation of research in optoelectronics and now needs to attract new investment to undertake further development and commercialisation activities.

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money Scottish Enterprise, the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow have each invested in Compound Semiconductor Technologies Ltd in each year since it was formed.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Scottish Enterprise/Scottish Enterprise Glasgow's original funding was £3.4 million, which was reduced by a contribution of £2 million ERDF funding. A further loan of £400,000 was made available to the company while an investment package was put in place. In …

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it, or any other bodies on its behalf, have held regarding the decision to sell Compound Semiconductor Technologies Ltd and what parties attended any such meetings.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is not a partner in Compound Semiconductor Technologies (CST) and therefore has not been involved in the discussions regarding investment in the company. However, such meetings have been held between the founding shareholders in CST, na…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the sale of Compound Semiconductor Technologies Ltd will enhance the commercialisation of university research and, if so, in what ways.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The decision by European Digital Capital, Intel Capital and Global Edge Capital to put significant investment into Compound Semiconductor Technologies (CST) is a demonstration of market confidence in the successful commercialisation of CST's research. Such pa…