Parliamentary questions
Andrew Wilson
771 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether graduating students will have less debt following the implementation of its new student support schemes; what the reasons are for the position on this matter, and what the is of the number of students that will benefit in each academic year to 2007-08.
Answer · Iain Gray: The rates of student loan support and the thresholds for parental or spouse contributions have been set in such a way that no graduating student should have more debt under the new student support arrangements than they would have had under the previous syste…
17 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made on its commitment to consider undertaking a survey in association with the Student Awards Agency for Scotland and the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council in respect of recommendation 4 of the Independent Committee of Inquiry into Student Finance, referred t…
Answer · Iain Gray: We intend to undertake a specific income and expenditure survey of Scottish further and higher education students during 2003.
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32029 by Mr Jack McConnell on 10 December 2002, what each of the functions are for which the First Minister is solely responsible under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 and the Intelligence Services Act 1994.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The powers and functions which are conferred upon the First Minister alone in relation to the interception of communications and the intelligence services are now set out in sections 58 and 60 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 as modified by …
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32029 by Mr Jack McConnell on 10 December 2002, what each of the civil service management functions are for which the First Minister is solely responsible relating to the staff of the Scottish Administration
Answer · Jack McConnell: The functions relating to civil service management which have been delegated to the First Minister alone are the function to prescribe the qualifications for the appointment of staff in the Scottish Administration (with the exception of the Fast Stream) and t…
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32029 by Mr Jack McConnell on 10 December 2002, what each of the functions are for which the First Minister is solely responsible relating to the universities of Scotland.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The powers and functions relating to the universities of Scotland which are conferred upon the First Minister alone are set out in section 9 of the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889 and the Royal Charter of the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland 1…
10 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32029 by Mr Jack McConnell on 10 December 2002, what each of the functions are relating to the appointment and removal of judges and the Scottish Law Officers for which the First Minister is solely responsible.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The functions relating to the appointment and removal of judges and the Scottish Law Officers which are conferred upon the First Minister alone are set out in sections 95 and 48(1) respectively of the Scotland Act 1998.
4 Dec 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it has had with Her Majesty's Government on student funding.
Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty's Government on a range of student funding issues.
27 Nov 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a target for Scotland's share of the UK economy.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive does not have such a target. However, it does wish to see an increase in the long-term growth rate of the Scottish economy and believes it has the policies in place to do so, within the context of a stable UK macro-economic framework.
26 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31347 by Lewis Macdonald on 25 November 2002, why it did not detail what powers it has to introduce legislation in regard to bringing in charges on the existing trunk road network and whether it will rule out introducing any such legislation; why, in…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The answer given to question S1W-30960 refers to the legislative position as regards the whole trunk road network, and makes clear that there is no legislation in place that would permit charges to be introduced on the existing trunk road network. While the E…
26 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what matters the First Minister is solely responsible.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The general principle, reflected in section 52 (1) of the Scotland Act, is that statutory functions are normally conferred on the Scottish ministers collectively and are then exercisable by any member of the Executive. This reflects the principle of collectiv…
13 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEFD122/2002 of 11 November 2002, what investigations it has undertaken in order to ascertain how many private finance initiative and public private partnership contracts the protocol agreed with the Scottish Trades Union Congress will apply to between the…
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31528 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/sear…
13 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEFD122/2002 of 11 November 2002, by what mechanism the protocol agreed with the Scottish Trades Union Congress on public private partnership contracts will be enforced, detailing all actions that can be taken against any party that will not comply with th…
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31528 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/sear…
13 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEFD122/2002 of 11 November 2002, whether any employee transfer groups will not be covered by the protocol agreed with the Scottish Trades Union Congress on public private partnership contracts.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31528 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/sear…
13 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SEFD122/2002 of 11 November 2002, whether the protocol agreed with the Scottish Trades Union Congress on public private partnership contracts will provide transferred employees in Scotland with exactly the same protections as provided by the Cabinet Office…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The protocol, announced on 11 November, applies to all new PPP/PFI projects with immediate effect. It deals with staff who join the Project Company after transfer of the undertaking and who, until now, could have faced less favourable terms and conditions tha…
13 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which public authorities have (a) mixed functions and (b) no reserved functions.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30960 by Lewis Macdonald on 6 November 2002 and with regard to the Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies A80 Corridor Plan to 2010: Executive Summary, whether its statement that the report "does not contain any recommendations for road tolls or…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The answer given to question S1W-30960 is accurate. I refer the member to the recommendations contained within the consultants' report.
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30960 by Lewis Macdonald on 6 November 2002, what "demand management" proposals for an upgraded A80 were identified and outlined in the Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies report and what its current position is on each such proposal, detaili…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is contained in Chapter 8 of the A80 Final Report of the corridor plan to 2010 available at: <A HREF="www.cstcs.co.uk">www.cstcs.co.uk</A>. We hope to be able to announce decisions on the way forward later this year, taking account o…
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28852 by Iain Gray on 16 September 2002, why its use of Capita in a more limited role than other countries was "significant in respect of the suspension" of individual learning accounts.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28852 on 13 September 2002, which explained that the significance of the Executive's use of Capita in a more limited role related to the differing arrangements which applied for the registration of learni…
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30960 by Lewis Macdonald on 6 November 2002, what powers it has to introduce legislation in regard to bringing in toll charges on the existing trunk road network and whether it will rule out introducing any such legislation, giving the reasons for it…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30960 on 6 November 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk…
7 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30960 by Lewis Macdonald on 6 November 2002, whether any form of upgraded A80 would still be considered part of the existing trunk road network after completion and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: An upgraded A80 would still form part of the trunk road network.
31 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote Glasgow as the second largest retail destination in Britain.
Answer · Mike Watson: Glasgow, with its acknowledged strengths in the retail sector, is promoted as a tourism destination both by VisitScotland under its Vibrant Cities theme and by Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board.
31 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates tourism spend on retail contributes to the economy annually.
Answer · Mike Watson: VisitScotland estimate that retail spending attributable to tourism in Scotland generates £445 million from UK tourists and £180 million from visitors from overseas, a total of £625 million.
31 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to direct VisitScotland to include retail within the annual tourism figures for visitors' attitudes and activities undertaken.
Answer · Mike Watson: VisitScotland include retail figures in the Categories of Expenditure section in their annual Facts and Figures leaflet.
31 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to direct VisitScotland to collate annually information on categories of expenditure by tourists, broken down by area tourist board area.
Answer · Mike Watson: We have no plans to direct VisitScotland on the detail of the statistics that it collects.
30 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received on whether an action of judicial review could be brought against Scottish ministers in respect of any failure to perform their obligations under section 2 of the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001 where a Budget Bill introduc…
Answer · Iain Gray: Whether legal advice is sought by, or provided to, ministers on any subject is a confidential matter.
30 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it enforces section 2 of the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001.
Answer · Iain Gray: Section 2 of the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001 imposes a duty on Scottish ministers. No enforcement issues arise as a result of this section.
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which towns with a population of more than 5,000 have a motorway passing through the town and what routes are involved.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The M8 motorway passes through the central area of Glasgow.
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans for a motorway bypass of Cumbernauld were part of the Cumbernauld New Town Development Corporation's plans for the expansion of Cumbernauld at any time.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information relates to decisions taken by the New Town Development Corporation and is not held by the Scottish Executive.
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes in the definitions or categories of environmental impact have taken place in any official guidelines affecting the assessment of potential road improvements and new road building in the last 10 years and from what dates any such changes applied.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999 implement Council Directive 85/337/EEC, as amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC. These regulations, which came into force on 1 August 1999, replace The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Regula…
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will rule out applying road tolls or other charges for the use of any planned new motorway along the A80/M80 route and for what period any such restriction would apply.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The consultant's plan to 2010 for the A80, as part of the Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies, does not contain any recommendations for road tolls or other charges on an upgraded A80. In any event, there is no legislation in place that would permit su…