Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of recent events surrounding the actions of East Ayrshire Council's Social Work Department, it will review the relevant procedures for the care and protection of young people whilst under the supervision of a social worker.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: It is not appropriate for me to comment on individual cases. Under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, local authorities have a duty to safeguard the welfare of children in need. This is especially the case when children are under the supervision of local autho…
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the proposed upgrade of the A77 between Fenwick and Malletsheugh in respect of the planning and other statutory procedures which require to be undertaken prior to commencement and whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the sequence of activities betw…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The following orders for the M77 scheme were made on 17 December 1999:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The M77 Special Road (Fenwick to Floak) Special Road Scheme 1999<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The M77 Special Road (Fenwick to Floak) Side Roads Order 1999<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Th…
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has determined to undertake the construction of the A77 upgrade between Fenwick and Malletsheugh as one discrete public-private partnership project or whether it will be combined with the Glasgow Southern Orbital Road project.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Neil to my answer to question S1W-4300.
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the environmental study for the Floak to Malletsheugh section of the proposed A77 upgrade.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive keeps in regular contact with Treasury on a range of reserved issues which affect Scottish interests.
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider bringing forward the Fenwick to Floak section of the proposed A77 upgrade.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: As I made clear in my announcement on the outcome of the Strategic Roads Review, the upgrading of the A77 between Malletsheugh and Fenwick will be undertaken as a single project and to the fastest timetable possible.
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a preferred location for a new service station on the M77 between Malletsheugh and Fenwick once it is completed.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not have a preferred location for Motorway Service Areas on the M77.
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its current assessment is of the viability of a public-private partnership for the proposed A77 upgrade between Fenwick and Malletsheugh.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Neil to my answer to question S1W-2395.
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its current estimate is of the likely vesting day for the A77 upgrade between Fenwick and Malletsheugh and for the proposed Glasgow Southern Orbital Road project.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Provided there are no objections to the Compulsory Purchase Orders which were published on 29 December, officials expect to conclude vesting for the land currently identified for the M77 later this year. The vesting date for the Glasgow Southern Orbital …
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to provide a detailed breakdown of the total spending guidelines set down for North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council and East Ayrshire Council for each of the past three years, including the current financial year; what spending limits are being set for each of these council…
Answer · Jack McConnell: The table below shows the figures for capping limits for 1997-98 and 1998-99 and expenditure guidelines for 1999-2000 and 2000-01. Expenditure guidelines replaced capping limits in 1999-2000 and provide councils with a more transparent and a less restrictive …
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to provide a breakdown of the revenue support grant provided to North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council and East Ayrshire Council in each of the past three years, including the current financial year; what grant will be provided for 2000-01; what annual percentage change in r…
Answer · Jack McConnell: The total government grant, known as Aggregate External Finance (AEF), given to councils for the four years 1997-98 to 2000-01, expressed in real terms using the September 1999 Retail Price Index, is shown in the following table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CE…
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to make a detailed response to the recommendations of the UK Raptor Working Group and to provide details of any bilateral discussions it has had or is planning to have with interested parties prior to issuing its own response.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Neil to my answer to question S1W-4163 in which I indicated that I had asked SNH for advice on the recommendations obtained in the UK Raptor Working Group Report and how they might be implemented in Scotland. The Scottish Executive has not held bil…
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the validity of the methodology employed by the Hawk and Owl Trust research project on the impact of raptors on racing pigeons prior to accepting any of its conclusions or recommendations.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Neil to my answer to question S1W-4163 in which I indicated that I had asked SNH for advice on the recommendations contained in the UK Raptor Working Group Report and how they might be implemented in Scotland. The Scottish Executive has no plans to…
11 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or any of its agencies have any plans to commission or undertake scientific studies on possible means of reducing predation on racing pigeons.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: There are no such plans at present. I have, however, asked SNH for advice on the recommendations contained in the UK Raptor Working Group Report, including the recommendation that scientific studies be undertaken on the range of possible means of reducing pre…
4 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Glasgow City Council and other employers contracted by the council to provide services in Glasgow contributed to pension schemes by way of employers' contributions in each of the last four years.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Information on employer contributions to the Local Government Pension Scheme fund in the form requested is not held centrally.
4 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was generated through additional sales resulting from projects undertaken by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in each of the last three years and what percentage of these additional sales were exports.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The projected increase in sales resulting from projects undertaken by Scottish Enterprise in each of the last three financial years was as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="33%" …
4 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much net additional money activities undertaken by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have added to Scotland's output in each of the last three years.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Scottish Enterprise estimate the direct net additional Gross Domestic Product associated with their activities to be in excess of £600 million in each of 1997-98 and 1998-99.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">These estimates are calculated using evaluation evidence. They rep…
4 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to local authorities' pension schemes in Scotland has been as a result of the abolition of advance corporation tax (ACT) in July 1997.
Answer · Jack McConnell: In order to meet the costs arising from the abolition of Advanced Corporation Tax credits, provision of £27 million, £38.5 million and £38.5 million has been included in the local government settlements for 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 respectively. These f…
4 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies entered new export markets in each of the last three years as a result of projects undertaken by Scottish Enterprise and the Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Answer · Henry McLeish: During 1998-99, through Scottish Trade International and the Export Partnership, Scottish Enterprise assisted Scottish companies to enter 470 new markets. No comparable figures are available for previous years.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">As a result of Highlands and I…
4 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many lone parents have gone back on to income support having finished employment placements found through the New Deal in Scotland.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The New Deal for Lone Parents programme does not offer temporary employment placements that would remove people from Income Support. The programme has, however, by the end of November 1999, helped 3,480 lone parents into jobs.
4 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the average disposable income of a couple with two children is the average disposable income of a lone parent.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: According to combined data from the Family Resources Survey for 1996-97 and 1997-98, the median disposable income of lone parents in Scotland was around 40% of that for couples with two children in Scotland. Income is from all sources including employment, So…
3 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new businesses started up as a result of assistance from Scottish Enterprise and Highland and Islands Enterprise in each of the last three years and how many employment opportunities these businesses created in these years.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The number of new businesses started as a result of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise assistance in each of the three years and employment opportunities these businesses created in these years are as follows:<U><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">S…
3 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1235 by Donald Dewar on 15 December 1999, whether it will provide a detailed breakdown by department, including the First Minister's Office, of its performance in relation to its targets for replying to correspondence from MPs or MSPs for the period …
Answer · Donald Dewar: The information requested in relation to the target of 17 working days for the period 1 November to 31 December 1999 is detailed in the table below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Department </TD><TD WID…
3 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees benefited from training and development through projects undertaken by Scottish Enterprise and Highland and Islands Enterprise in each of the last three years.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The number of employees benefiting from training and development through projects undertaken by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in the last 3 financial years are as follows:<U><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Scottish Enterprise</U><TABLE BORDER CE…
3 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many net additional job opportunities have Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise created in each of the last three years.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The figures are as follows:<P><P>Scottish Enterprise<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Net additional employment supported</FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VAL…
3 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to implement and evaluate the Scottish Diet Action Plan.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Implementation of the recommendations of the Scottish Diet Action Plan is being taken forward steadily at both national and local levels through the continuing development, and delivery, of a wide range of initiatives, many in partnership with key interests. …
2 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to make nutrition a compulsory element of catering courses run by institutions funded by the Scottish Executive.
Answer · Henry McLeish: There are no plans to do so. Decisions regarding the content of individual courses are a matter for individual further education colleges, subject to the requirements of courses leading to particular qualifications.<FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica" SIZE=2><P>Full…
2 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to re-establish the Scottish Diet Working Group.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has no plans to re-convene the Scottish Diet Action Group<I>.</I> <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Steady progress is being made with implementation of the Diet Action Plan for Scotland, <I>Eating for Health</I>, prepared by the Group in 1996.<FONT F…
2 Feb 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for tackling the issue of food poverty in Scotland.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Our overall strategy for tackling poverty is set out in <I>Social Justice: a Scotland where everyone matters</I>.<P>Through the Scottish Community Diet Project and Social Inclusion Partnerships the Executive funds a range of initiatives that address food pove…
1 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to address the situation where local authorities are increasing council tax to pay for shortfalls in local authority pension schemes and whether it has allocated an amount in respect of this issue in the central government support for local authority capital expen…
Answer · Jack McConnell: It is a matter for authorities themselves to ensure that adequate provision is being made towards local authorities' pension funds. The cost of pension funds are met from current expenditure and do not have any implications for local authority capital budgets…
28 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will cost to modify the relevant computer systems to reflect the changes to the tuition fees system and who will meet these costs.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The computer system of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) already has the capability to handle the changes to tuition fee arrangements. However, some adaptation is needed to cope with the changes to loan entitlement. This work will be included with…