Angus MacKay

Answer · Iain Gray · 3 Mar 2003

We have already part-funded the work of the City of Edinburgh Council in developing its Integrated Transport Initiative and committed £15 million for the development work on three tram-lines. We are now able to guarantee the availability of £375 million of central Government funding which the preliminary business case for the Integrated Transport Initiative requires. <P>Our commitment ensures that funding for at least the first tram-line will be available as soon as the council produces a robust final business case. That support is not conditional on the introduction of congestion charging, which the council is considering in order to reduce traffic levels in and around the city.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson · 19 Feb 2003

All of the recommendations of the panel have been accepted. £12.4 million, £21 million and £24.1 million in each of the three financial years 2003-04 to 2005-06 has been allocated to implement the recommendations. In addition, £2 million per annum will be provided to local authorities via the National Priorities Action Fund to provide fruit in schools to primary 1 and 2 children.

Answer · Jim Wallace · 3 Feb 2003

In the light of the events of 11 September 2001, the Scottish Emergencies Co-ordinating Committee commissioned the preparation of guidance on how to deal with incidents involving such substances. The guidance, entitled <I>Guidance for the Emergency Services on Decontamination of People Exposed to Hazardous Chemical, Biological or Radioactive Substances</I>, is being placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 26273) and on the Scottish Executive website today. The guidance is complementary to advice on this subject being published by the Home Office.

Answer · Jim Wallace · 30 Jan 2003

Today we issued final codes of practice on covert surveillance and covert human intelligence sources. These codes provide a framework within which public authorities covered by the legislation should exercise the powers and duties under the 2000 act. The codes of practice will not come into force until draft orders under section 24(5) of the 2000 act have been laid before and obtain approval by resolution of the Parliament.

Answer · Margaret Curran · 23 Jan 2003

European Year of Disabled People 2003 (EYDP) will have its Scottish launch on 23 January. <P>To celebrate the launch, there will be a ministerial reception in Edinburgh. Invitees include disabled people from all over Scotland, disability organisations, business leaders and civic and community leaders.<P>The Scottish Executive set up a Scottish Steering Group for EYDP with membership from the majority of national disability organisations, the Disability Rights Commission, the STUC, COSLA and other interested parties. The steering group has agreed a set of aims and objectives for EYDP, and put together a work programme to help take these forward over the course of the year. The aims and objectives and work programme are set out as follows. The Scottish Executive takes this work programme seriously and has committed £200,000 to support it.<P>The first piece of finished work by the steering group is a national newspaper supplement, which will be published on 23 January as part of the launch celebrations. Copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 26033).<U><P>Aims and Objectives of the EYDP Scottish Steering Group</U><P>AIM 1: To work towards the inclusion of all affected by disability through promoting well-informed, responsive and effective decision-making in policy and practice.<P>Objectives:<P>To initiate debate on disability, to raise awareness about the reality of disabled people's lives and stimulate the engagement of disabled people with that debate<P>To approach business leaders, professional bodies, and public and voluntary sectors to see how they might support the EYDP, raise awareness and improve their policies and practices <P>To examine mechanisms to enable the views and priorities of disabled people to be fed into Scottish Executive policymaking<P>AIM 2 : To build for the future by seeking to engage young people in the EYDP.<P>Objectives:<P>To raise awareness of the experiences of young disabled people making the transition from school into adult life.<P>To foster understanding among policymakers and practitioners of the needs and aspirations of young disabled people, through encouraging consultation and contact with them.<P>To approach organisations working with children and young people to promote their inclusion in EYDP.<P>AIM 3: To raise public awareness of disability issues.<P>Objectives:<P>To identify and celebrate the contribution made by disabled people to Scottish society through fulfilling a variety of valuable roles.<P>To draw attention to the normality of disabled people and disabled people's lives, while highlighting the social barriers they confront and ways to overcome them.<P>To draw attention to hidden aspects of disability, such as stigma and knock-on effects on friends and families.<P>To ensure equal weight is given to the experiences, needs and aspirations of disabled people irrespective of their impairment, ethnic origin or circumstances.<P>AIM 4: To ensure Scottish events are co-ordinated with UK-wide and European EYDP activities where possible .<P>To receive regular reports from the Scottish NCC representative and disseminate information about UK-level EYDP developments.<P>To share information about individual organisation's activities via the EYDP Scottish Steering Group.<P>To co-ordinate launch and closing events, making sure that objectives for Scottish events reflect and promote agreed aims and objectives for EYDP work in Scotland.<P>Work Programme of the EYDP Scottish Steering Group<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=595><TR><TD WIDTH="41%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Activity</TD><TD WIDTH="27%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Timing</TD><TD WIDTH="32%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Details/Progress</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="41%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Raise awareness of EYDP through newspaper supplement</TD><TD WIDTH="27%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>For launch (published)</TD><TD WIDTH="32%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Input from all member organisations </TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="41%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>EYDP website to p

Answer · Andy Kerr · 17 Jan 2003

Technical Note No. 1 (Revised), <I>How to account for PFI Transactions</I>, is about the practical application of accounting standards which determine how PFI schemes are to be reported in the annual accounts of both the purchasers and operators. In particular, it is used to determine in which set of accounts the property associated with the PFI scheme is to be reported. The accounting treatment follows the requirements laid down by the Accounting Standards Board, which aim to ensure openness and clarity in published accounts. The guidance was effective from September 1998, and applied retrospectively. <P>Under resource accounting, a change in a PFI project's accounting treatment from being &quot;off balance sheet&quot; to being &quot;on balance sheet&quot; has an impact on the budgeting process for departments and sponsored bodies. When Technical Note No.1 was issued, the Treasury agreed that where the accounting treatment changed for existing PFI schemes, this should have no impact on the departments or sponsored bodies concerned. This concession was allowed because departments would have been unaware of the change in accounting treatment at the time of signing such a PFI contract and it was deemed unfair to penalise them for a change which was outwith their control.<P>The only contract in Scotland affected by the change of treatment is that for the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (RIE). The PFI contract for the RIE was signed in September 1996, and when the new guidance was applied retrospectively to the contract, the accounting treatment was revised to report the deal as being on the balance sheet of Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust. Stage 1 of the scheme became operational in January 2002, and the annual accounts of the trust for 2001-02 reflect £70.6 million on the balance sheet for that element. Stage 2 of the scheme is expected to be operational in spring 2003, by which time the capital value of the whole project (£252 million) will have been reflected in the trust's balance sheet. The change in accounting treatment does not change the value for money assessment of the scheme.<P>The Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed that the Executive's budget will be adjusted to reflect this in 2001-02 and 2002-03 in respect of the PFI scheme at the RIE. Therefore there is no net impact on the Executive's Budget from the application of Technical Note No.1.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald · 18 Dec 2002

I have considered the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee's (DPTAC) recommendations on the Blue Badge Scheme, which were based on the responses to the discussion paper circulated to key disability organisations and others earlier this year. I am pleased that the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland were able to offer their views on DPTAC's recommendations and that their views could be fed into discussions with my colleagues in the Department for Transport and devolved administrations. <P>We are proposing to take forward most of the recommendations that were made. A summary of Scottish Executive responses to each of the recommendations has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. <P>There are a number of areas in which we have undertaken to look at amending primary legislation governing the scheme, in particular to ensure that the tools needed for effective enforcement are available to local authorities and the police. <P>We recognise the need to ensure that badges are only issued to those who most need them, but we are not yet convinced that criteria for eligibility need to be restricted by law. With the other administrations we would prefer to see much clearer and stronger guidance issued to local authorities, as the issuing bodies, on how they should undertake that function. If, after a period of monitoring the impact of that guidance, it is clear that there are still problems with the policy on issuing, we would consider legislation at that stage. We will, in co-operation with the other administrations, be setting up a working group shortly to help us draw up common guidance that each administration will use.<P>Further research is required in a number of areas, for example, to consider the setting up of a national database of badge holders. The Scottish Executive will be collaborating with the other administrations to take that forward.

Answer · Ross Finnie · 2 Dec 2002

In my reply to question S1W-23475 on 7 March 2002, announcing grant for 2001-02, I confirmed that the Executive would provide additional funding to local authorities to assist them with costs arising from the new regulations on the disposal of fridges, freezers and other domestic appliances containing ozone depleting substances. I can now confirm that the Executive has allocated £3.3 million for 2002-03 to assist with these additional costs. This funding will be allocated to local authorities as set out in the following table: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=307><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Local Authority</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Allocation</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Aberdeen City</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£119,770</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Aberdeenshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£196,608</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Angus</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£81,138</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Argyll and Bute</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£83,108</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Clackmannanshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£27,531</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Dumfries and Galloway</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£128,295</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Dundee City</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£80,212</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>East Ayrshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£73,496</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>East Dunbartonshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£60,281</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>East Lothian</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£58,555</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>East Renfrewshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£48,717</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Edinburgh City</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£255,132</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Eilean Siar</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£29,379</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Falkirk</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£82,212</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Fife</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£208,286</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Glasgow City</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£340,484</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Highland</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£199,211</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Inverclyde</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£46,193</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Midlothian</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£48,429</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Moray</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£61,909</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>North Ayrshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£84,144</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>North Lanarkshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£180,301</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Orkney Islands</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£21,495</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Perth and Kinross</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£107,147</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Renfrewshire.</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£98,758</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Scottish Borders</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£87,244</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Shetland Islands</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£25,309</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>South Ayrshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£75,317</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>South Lanarkshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£183,568</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Stirling</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£64,381</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>West Dunbartonshire</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£52,083</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>West Lothian</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>£91,305</TD></TR></TA