Parliamentary questions

Allan Wilson

36 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

25 Sep 2000 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the priorities are for investment in enterprise and lifelong learning.

Answer · Donald Dewar: The Executive's priorities for investment in enterprise and lifelong learning over the next three years are to increase access to learning and skills for all Scotland's people; to drive forward new initiatives which will place Scotland at the leading edge of …

20 Sep 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to protect the interests of anglers in Scotland.

Answer · John Home Robertson: I have had meetings with the Scottish Anglers National Association, Scottish Campaign for Public Angling as well as a number of angling clubs over the past year, in connection with the Scottish Executive's consultation on Protecting and Promoting Scotland's F…

6 Sep 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the special funding package for the Highlands and Islands approved by the European Commission will improve this region.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Highlands & Islands Special Transitional Programme will provide for around £200 million of Structural Funding together with over £500 million from national public and private resources over the next seven years.The funds will be used to support our vis…

25 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to make public the work of the new Programme Monitoring Committees for European Structural Funds programmes.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I am pleased to confirm that all minutes of meetings and papers relating to meetings of the new Programme Monitoring Committees for European Structural Funds in Scotland 2000-06 will in future be made available following each meeting on the Scottish Executive…

14 Jun 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways it is listening to the views and concerns of Scotland's local communities.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive is looking at various ways of improving its consultation procedures to ensure everyone has the opportunity to influence policies. The Executive is also supporting the Civic Forum which facilitates inputs from local communities into nati…

7 Jun 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it is providing to Scotland's textile industry.

Answer · Henry McLeish: At the first meeting of the Scottish Textile Forum on 12 June, I announced a package of support for the textile sector, full details of which are in a Scottish Executive press release. In summary, the support package includes the launch of four Champions for …

31 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how effective the New Deal has been in providing jobs for young unemployed people in North Ayrshire and in Scotland in general.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive. Many partner organisations …

24 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits Joint Ministerial Committees bring to Scotland.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Joint Ministerial Committees help the Scottish Executive and the UK Government work together to ensure that their respective policies and programmes operate coherently and effectively for the benefit of people in Scotland.

23 May 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer how many apprentices are employed, or will be employed, in the construction of the Scottish Parliament.

Answer · David Steel: It is for individual "trade package" contractors to decide upon the number of apprentices they employ. At present, there is one apprentice employed on the Holyrood site. This figure will improve as the trade packages that traditionally attract more …

19 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what policies and procedures are in place to ensure the integrity of fingerprint identification methodology pending the outcome of the investigation by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the reply I gave to question S1W-7006.

18 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many criminal cases are pending appeal on the grounds of alleged fingerprint mis-identification.

Answer · Colin Boyd: I am aware of one case where alleged fingerprint mis-identification is likely to form a principal ground of appeal.

18 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what quality assurance procedures are in place or proposed at the Scottish Criminal Records Office in respect of fingerprint evidence.

Answer · Jim Wallace: All fingerprint identifications at the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) have quality assurance checks built in. Following identification of a scene of crime mark, a further two fingerprint experts independently examine the fingerprint impressions in ord…

15 May 2000 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what progress is being made in promoting lifelong learning.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Transforming our learning culture is a top priority. Our role is to help create the right framework of opportunities for people to learn. Excellent progress is being made in setting in place our Programme for Government commitments, including the launc…

19 Apr 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the importance is of economic links with the United States in promoting employment in Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Economic links with the United States are extremely important. US companies have a long history of investment in Scotland. Over the last 20 years such investment has played a major role in the restructuring of the Scottish economy towards high technology indu…

29 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the role of tourist centres will develop in the light of the current tourism strategy for Scotland.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the local Area Tourist Boards. The position will be kept under review in the light of Information and Communication Technology developments.

27 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons have been learned about effective and ineffective forms of collaboration with Her Majesty's Government from progress to date with the cross-cutting knowledge economy agenda.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The first meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on the Knowledge Economy, chaired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and attended by the First Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland, was both useful and productive. It identified a number of pot…

27 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in fostering an evaluation culture and in implementing the guidelines on evaluating policy effectiveness, as defined by the UK Modernising Government Working Party, in relation to the knowledge economy.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Policy is being developed from a firm evidence base, following extensive consultation with key players at a series of seminars across Scotland and working closely with experts from academia, industry and the public sector in the Knowledge Economy Task Force. …

27 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted by the Cabinet Office's Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) about the implications for devolved matters of the PIU's objectives.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The remit of the PIU does not extend to devolved issues in Scotland. There is regular contact between the Executive and the PIU to share experience and discuss issues in which there is a common interest.

27 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4719 by Donald Dewar on 21 March 2000, what measures it intends to employ to integrate its policy strategy in the areas identified by the Joint Action Committee on the knowledge economy with strategy at a UK level.

Answer · Donald Dewar: Policy and action on the knowledge economy will be co-ordinated through the work of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Knowledge Economy) and through the normal, regular contact between the Scottish Executive and officials in the relevant UK Government Departme…

23 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish and UK e-envoys are collaborating on perceived areas of overlap in knowledge economy initiatives.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Scottish Executive Ministers and officials have met with the UK e-envoy, most recently at the Joint Ministerial Committee on the Knowledge Economy, to ensure effective communication and co-ordination of activity. The UK e-envoy will also be attending the next…

22 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the Chancellor of the Exchequer's budget will have on employment, enterprise and economic growth in Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Chancellor announced a wide range of measures which are intended to boost employment, enterprise and economic growth in both Scotland and the UK as a whole. These measures will build on the recent strong performance of the Scottish Economy.

1 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to regulate the use of jet skis in Scotland's coastal waters.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Maritime safety and vessel regulation are reserved matters and the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). The Scottish Executive maintains regular contact with DETR on a range of matters, including coastal water…

24 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what priorities have been identified by the Joint Ministerial Committee on the Knowledge Economy.

Answer · Donald Dewar: The Joint Ministerial Committee (Knowledge Economy) met for the first time on 11 February 2000. The Committee agreed that its terms of reference should be "To consider joint or co-ordinated actions by the UK Government and devolved administrations to opt…

21 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any proposals to review the Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 (No.614 S.38) to facilitate local authorities introducing Traffic Regulation Orders timeously.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: We have no proposals to review these regulations.The 1999 regulations replaced, after widespread consultation, previous Regulations which had been in force since 1987. The decision to revise the regulations was based on a desire to make the procedures more…

16 Feb 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the methodology employed by the Scottish criminal records office in compiling fingerprint evidence.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The terms of reference for a review by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary of the standards and quality of work within the Fingerprint Section of the Scottish Criminal Record Office will be announced shortly. The review will cover the case of Shirley McKi…

21 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many secondary schools, by local authority area, have applied for an award towards the appointment of a school sports co-ordinator and at what cost to sportscotland.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The information requested by Mr Wilson is detailed in the table below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP">Local Authority Area</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP">Number of Sc…

25 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to promote sport for people with disabilities in Scotland.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Sportscotland's partnership with Scottish Disability Sport in delivering the Royal Mail-Ready Willing and Able for Sport programme throughout Scotland is continuing to develop and strengthen. The programme develops local partnerships between local authori…

24 Nov 1999 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to promote sport for people with disabilities in Scotland.

6 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the incidence of prosecutions in Scotland for unburied carcasses has increased or decreased in the last two years and whether it will provide figures.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Dogs Act 1906 and the Animal By-Products Order 1999 are the legislative instruments under which prosecutions are made in Scotland for unburied carcases and animal by-products. Scottish Executive officials receive on a quarterly basis, reports of breaches …

16 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to regulate the use of barbed tape/ra'or wire as a means of restricting public access to Scottish hills, mountains and historic sites.

Answer · Donald Dewar: We intend to bring forward legislation that will create a Right of responsible access to land and inland water. The legislation will include powers to enable local authorities to require the removal of any obstructions, including barbed tape or razor wire, er…