Andrew Wilson

24 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost so far has been of the investigation into fraudulent activity in connection with the Individual Learning Account scheme; how many cases have been checked, and how much money has so far been identified as having been received fraudulently.

Answer · Mike Watson: Over 800 learning providers have been included in the exercise to validate claims submitted for payment. Until investigations are concluded into suspected fraudulent activity, the cost of the investigations and the amount of monies involved cannot be establis…

24 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether spending on the Individual Learning Account programme ever exceeded its allocated budget in 2000-01 and, if so, by how much.

Answer · Mike Watson: Spending on the Individual Learning Account programme did not exceed its allocated budget in 2000-01.

24 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last made direct contact with the Individual Learning Account centre in Durham.

Answer · Mike Watson: The Individual Learning Account Centre is located in Darlington, Co. Durham and officials are in contact with it on a daily basis.

24 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any companies who have provided training under the Individual Learning Account scheme are still awaiting payment and, if so, how many companies, what total amount is still to be paid and when these final payments will be made.

Answer · Mike Watson: Claims to the total value of £3,834,575, from 121 learning providers, have not yet been paid. Until each claim has been validated it is not possible to say how much of that total will be paid, or when it will be paid.

24 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the level of funding under the Young Student Bursary Scheme is lower for Scottish-domiciled students studying outwith Scotland than for those studying in Scotland and, if so, by how much and why there is any such difference.

Answer · Mike Watson: The overall level of assistance with living costs available to Scottish domiciled students is the same whether they study in Scotland or elsewhere in the UK.<P>Under the student support arrangements introduced in 2001-02, young Scottish domiciled students fro…

24 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to introduce legislation affecting any aspect of employee transfers under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations or the provision and application of the Statement of Practice covering these, and under what section of the Scotland Act 1998 an…

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Where the right of an employee to transfer is provided by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981, it would be outwith the competence of the Scottish Parliament (by virtue of section H1 of part II of schedule 5 to the Scotland…

19 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that no serious management or human resource issues exist at Motherwell College, detailing the reasons why it considers the information upon which it made this judgement to be correct.

Answer · Iain Gray: Further education colleges are autonomous bodies under the terms of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992 and are themselves responsible for addressing local management and human resource issues.

19 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address any serious management or human resource issues at Motherwell College, detailing any representations it has received on this matter and the reasoning behind its position.

Answer · Iain Gray: Further education colleges are autonomous bodies under the terms of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992. Local management and human resource issues at further education colleges are for colleges themselves to address.<P>The Scottish Executive…

19 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25820 by Mr Andy Kerr on 18 June 2002, whether the retrieval of information to rectify an underpayment of wages and allowances to its staff would qualify as a circumstance where all possible means would be taken to retrieve such information where it …

Answer · Peter Peacock: The retrieval of information to rectify an underpayment of wages and allowances is a circumstance where all reasonable means would be taken to retrieve such information where it had been misplaced or where the timescales for holding the information had been e…

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it classified the holiday on 3 June 2002 as a privilege holiday for its employees in respect of pay and allowances and what the financial savings as a result of this classification were.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The decision to classify the Queen's Golden Jubilee as a privilege holiday was in line with precedent e.g. the Millennium holiday.<P>To identify the precise financial savings due to this decision cannot be done without incurring disproportionate costs. Howeve…

23 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of its departments and divisions have been identified as having a financial loss of #5,000 or more in any of the last 18 months.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The published accounts for 2000-01 show losses by department. Losses of less than £100,000 are shown in aggregate, losses over £100,000 are separately noted. The same information will be published in the 2001-02 accounts. Most losses are outwith the direct co…

22 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25832 by Mr Andy Kerr on 21 May 2002, how many staff over the age of 60 have been employed on a year-by-year basis in each of the past five years, broken down by department or division.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive policy on extending the employment of staff who are aged 60 or over commenced on 1 August 2000. The information contained in the following table relates to staff who were employed under this policy. The policy is currently under review.…

22 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25832 by Mr Andy Kerr on 21 May 2002, whether staff requiring to make mortgage repayments after the age of 60, where it or the former Scottish Office provided financial information and employment status to the lender, will meet the criteria for reten…

Answer · Andy Kerr: Yes, provided their performance, conduct and attendance has been satisfactory and there is a post available. This is applicable to all staff for whom the Executive has delegated authority.

21 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its staff will receive any additional payments, allowances or time off in lieu for any hours worked on 31 May, 3 June and 4 June 2002, detailing any enhanced payments, allowances or time off arrangements and the reasons behind its position on this matter.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The holiday on 31 May is in recognition of the Queen's Official Birthday. The holidays on 3 and 4 June are bank holidays - the former is to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee, and the latter is the spring bank holiday which, this year has been moved from 27 May.…

20 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who provided administrative support for staff wages and allowances prior to the contract being awarded to Chessington Computer Centre and where information on these wages and allowances is currently being held.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Prior to the current payroll contract being awarded to Chessington, administrative support for staff wages and allowances was provided by Scottish Office staff using Chessington's payroll system.<P> Where still available, information about wages and allowance…

20 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date Chessington Computer Centre's contract covering the payment of Executive staff wages and allowances began; on what date the contract was reviewed or re-awarded, and whether any date has been set to review these contractual arrangements in the future.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The current payroll contract between the Scottish Executive and ADP Chessington commenced in April 1998. As with all contracts awarded by the Scottish Executive, they are subject to regular review to ensure best value is achieved. The present payroll contract…

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances a trial for causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1973 would be heard in a court other than the High Court; whether not hearing such a case in the high court is acceptable, and whether it has any proposals in regard to this mat…

Answer · Colin Boyd: The decision as to the court in which to prosecute a case involving a contravention of section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (causing death by dangerous driving) is made according to the individual facts and circumstances of the particular case. The general …

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 were prosecuted in each of the last 12 months, broken down by cases heard in the (a) sheriff court and (b) high court.

Answer · Colin Boyd: Figures for prosecutions for causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in 2001 are not yet available. I will write with details once the figures have been collated.

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to ensure that all cases of causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1973 are taken before the high court, detailing the reasons behind its response on the matter.

Answer · Colin Boyd: Proceedings in respect of cases involving contraventions of section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (causing death by dangerous driving) may be taken on indictment in the sheriff court or the High Court. The selection of the appropriate forum is a matter for t…

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers the Lord Advocate has to instruct that all cases of causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 be taken before the high court, detailing the reasons behind its response on the matter.

Answer · Colin Boyd: Cases involving contraventions of section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (causing death by dangerous driving) must be prosecuted on indictment but the Lord Advocate's power to decide whether proceedings should be in the sheriff court or in the High Court is n…

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether instructions issued to procurators fiscal from the Lord Advocate are binding and whether procurators fiscal can exercise any form of discretion in regard to such instructions.

Answer · Colin Boyd: Instructions issued to procurators fiscal by the Lord Advocate are binding, but may allow for the exercise of discretion.

16 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Motorola Task Force took into account any impact on benefit entitlement for the users of the task force when formulating action plans, strategies, programmes and advice.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25902.

15 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many persons have been given positions through subsidised employment or training schemes under the Motorola Task Force in each year that the task force has been operating.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to S1W-25902.

15 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been received by the Motorola Task Force in each year that the task force has been operating, in total and broken down by (a) start-up costs, (b) task force employee wages, (c) expenses, (d) advertising costs and (e) costs of providing subsidised employment or training.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25902.

15 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial support it has provided in total to date for the funding of the Motorola Task Force; whether it will give details of any further funding proposed, and over what timescale any such funding will be provided.

Answer · Iain Gray: On 25 April 2001, Wendy Alexander announced in the Parliament that the Scottish Executive was setting aside up to £10 million to help fund the Motorola Task force's action plan. On 20 December 2001, Wendy Alexander further announced that the Scottish Executiv…

15 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made or instructions it has given, to whom and when regarding any shortage of chiropodists in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: None. It is for NHS boards and trusts to assess the need for local services and to meet that need through the delivery of individual services by appropriately trained staff.

14 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider placing in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre details of the types of information it holds centrally that would aid the formulation of parliamentary questions, broken down by department and division and detailing the reasons behind its position on this mat…

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: We do not have a central record of all information held by each division within the Scottish Executive and one could only be provided, and maintained, at disproportionate cost. However, through the <I>Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Informati…

14 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time for medical treatment in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency area has been in each of the last 12 months and what timescale would be an unacceptable waiting period.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on waiting times within the NHS in respect of individual NHS board and NHS trust areas is published quarterly by ISD Scotland and is available in the Scottish Health on the Web (SHOW) website at: <P><A HREF="http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/acute_a…

14 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why a 70 year old person in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency area who is practically housebound owing to swollen nerves in the foot has been informed that, even with an urgent referral, there will be a wait of at least four to five months prior to receiving treatment and what acti…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Tackling waiting at all stages of the patient's journey is a key priority for the Scottish Executive. That is why extra resources have been made available to help NHSScotland to reduce waiting times. The National Waiting Times Unit is currently undertaking a …

14 May 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer how many people were employed by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body in each of the last three years and, of these, how many were participants in the Modern Apprenticeship scheme, broken down by framework.

Answer · David Steel: The number of staff in post in each of the last three years is as follows:<P>Year ending 31 March 2000 - 346 staff in post <P>Year ending 31 March 2001 - 424 staff in post <P>Year ending 31 March 2002 - 454 staff in post <P>No member of staff employed by the …