Questions · Brian Adam

4 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) financial and (b) operational effect the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth will have on Scottish businesses.

Answer · Jim Mather: Although we are not aware of any detailed assessment, it is likely that any relocation would have impact on some local businesses in Edinburgh in terms of hotel usage and other business services. This would be in addition to the negative impact upon …

4 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department of Energy and Climate Change regarding the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth.

Answer · Jim Mather: Energy officials have been in contact with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to discuss these matters and to consider alternative options to maintain the data and formations in Scotland. DECC have confirmed they have no objection to the reloc…

4 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted on the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government were not consulted on the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth. We have raised our concerns with British Geological Survey on this issue.

4 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many job losses will result from the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth.

Answer · Jim Mather: The British Geological Survey (BGS) have confirmed that current Gilmerton staff members will be relocated to BGS offices at Murchison House in Edinburgh where they will be in close proximity to the BGS marine geology group.

4 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth will have on students at Scottish universities.

Answer · Jim Mather: The current proposal to relocate the core and records recollection to Keyworth could disadvantage students at Scottish universities. Moving the core storage facility to Keyworth will affect ease of access and increase costs for students in Scotland. The finan…

4 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth will have on Scottish universities’ research capabilities.

Answer · Jim Mather: The existing facility at Gilmerton is, in our view, of great value to academia in Scotland and the current proposal would significantly disadvantage research undertaken at Scottish universities. Relocation would result in much reduced access to the dataset by…

4 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth will have on the oil and gas industry in Scotland.

Answer · Jim Mather: The core and records collection currently located at Gilmerton is widely used by oil and gas companies in Scotland for exploration and development purposes. We are of the view that if core data is to be used to greatest economic value the cores need to be sit…

4 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the British Geological Survey regarding the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth.

Answer · Jim Mather: Both the First Minister and I have written to the British Geological Survey (BGS) urging them to reconsider their decision and retain the facility in Edinburgh. I have also recently met with Prof Ludden, Executive Director of BGS, to discuss these matters and…

4 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or any of its agencies have been contacted regarding safety and security measures that will be needed if the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collections to Keyworth goes ahead.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government have not been contacted regarding safety and security measures needed for the proposed relocation of the UK continental shelf core and records collection to Keyworth. However, it has raised its concerns regarding the proposed move to B…

3 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, as outlined in the Scottish Ministerial Code, whether it will publish (a) details of all overseas travel undertaken by ministers in 2008-09 and (b) the total costs of such travel in (i) cash and (ii) real terms for the last 10 years.??

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The information requested can be found in the following Annexes: Annex A - Overseas travel on official business undertaken by Scottish Government ministers during the financial year 2008-09. Annex B “ The total costs of such travel in cash a…

29 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the allocation of ministerial responsibilities is within the First Minister’s portfolio following the recent ministerial changes??.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The First Minister announced on 1 December 2009 that Fiona Hyslop had replaced Michael Russell as Minister for Culture and External Affairs in attendance at the Cabinet and that the First Minister had assumed overall responsibility for the constitution and th…

17 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has produced a response on a European action in the field of rare diseases; what that response is, and whether it will be submitted as part of a UK response or independently

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Executive has not produced a response to a European Council recommendation in the field of rare diseases as it has no function in this regard. The Scottish Executive has however processes in place to address rare diseases and has taken t…

17 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on (a) age restrictions for and (b) funding of modern apprenticeships in tourism.

Answer · Keith Brown: Through Skills Development Scotland, all young people aged 16 to 19 across all sectors, including tourism, who wish to undertake a modern apprenticeship are eligible for full public funding. In addition, funding for those aged 20+ has been made avai…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many disabled persons’ car parking spaces there are at each railway station on the (a) Dundee to Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeen to Inverness lines.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29842 on 8 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to increase parking capacity at any railway station on the (a) Dundee to Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeen to Inverness lines and, if so, where and when they will be implemented.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29842 on 8 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive at which stations there are charges for parking on the (a) Dundee to Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeen to Inverness lines.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29842 on 8 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the usage rates are of each railway station car park on the (a) Dundee to Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeen to Inverness lines.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29842 on 8 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the capacity is of each railway station car park on the (a) Dundee to Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeen to Inverness lines.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Of the 22 stations on these lines, 16 have car parks for railway users. These are: Inverness, Nairn, Forres, Elgin, Keith, Huntly, Insch, Inverurie, Dyce, Aberdeen, Portlethen, Stonehaven, Laurencekirk, Montrose, Arbroath and Carnoustie. Total capaci…

25 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the removal of the British Geological Survey core store will have implications for the integrity of samples and their future utility as well as for accessibility to geologists.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29401 on 14 December 2009. 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/…

25 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of concerns among practising oil and gas geologists and academics about the plans to move the British Geological Survey core store from Edinburgh to Keyworth.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29401 on 14 December 2009. 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/App…

25 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations on the plans to move the British Geological Survey core store from Edinburgh to Keyworth.

Answer · Jim Mather: Following representations from academics and others to the Scottish Government, the First Minister is making representations to the British Geological Survey (BGS) urging them to reconsider their decision and retain the core store at Gilmerton. I have also wr…

17 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative consent motions it will lodge in the Parliament in connection with the legislative programme of the UK Government to be announced in the Queen’s Speech on 18 November 2009.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: In accordance with the Sewel Convention, the UK Parliament does not legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament. This is an important part of the devolution settlement, which acknowledges the …

6 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water and other non-departmental public bodies have altered their procurement procedures and arrangements for subcontracting to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are given a level playing field in tendering for public sector work.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the question S3W-28748 on 16 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Busines…

6 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed whether more small and medium-sized enterprises are winning public sector contracts as a consequence of changes in policy.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28750 on 16 November 2009. 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/App…

6 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence there is that changes to procurement processes redress any previous bias in favour of large organisations.

Answer · John Swinney: One of the six single steps I announced on 28 April 2009 was that public bodies should monitor the proportion of their procurement spending with SMEs. At a national level, information from the Scottish Procurement Information Hub (covering 2005-06 to 2007-08)…

6 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are taken to ensure that the references of tenderers for public sector work are rigorously checked to ensure that the tenderer can deliver the required quality.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Procurement Directorate has published guidance on pre-qualification processes which provides advice to procurement staff on the evaluation of a tenderer''s ability to perform the contract to the required quality. <a href="http://www.scot…

6 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are given a level playing field in tendering for public sector work.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government''s Economic Recovery Programme states that we will do all we can to help Scottish businesses and we are committed to ensuring that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have fair and equal access to public sector contracts in Scot…

6 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is content with the reduction in competition in the supply of medicines to community pharmacies as a consequence of recent changes in the pharmaceutical wholesale network.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28745 on 19 November 2009. 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/App…

6 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is content with the security of supply of medicines to community pharmacies and patients as a consequence of recent changes in the pharmaceutical wholesale network.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is aware of the various issues affecting medicines supply. Whilst the choice of method of medicines distribution is a commercial decision for the companies concerned, the Scottish Government expects patients to receive the medicines th…

6 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed whether more small and medium-sized enterprises are now on approved lists of public sector contractors as a consequence of changes in policy.