Mr Brian Monteith

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it first learned of Scottish Amicable's decision to make 430 compulsory and voluntary job cuts at its headquarters at Craigforth, Stirling.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19674.

26 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown by local authority area of the #20 million allocated for the buying of books and equipment that was announced on 26 October 2001.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The following table shows the amounts allocated to each authority. A circular setting out full details of the grant arrangements will be issued shortly to local authorities and copies will be available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.<P>Additional financ…

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of publishing, producing and distributing its report, Creating our Future: Minding our Past: National Cultural Strategy, First Annual Report.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The total cost for design, printing and web conversion of the First Annual Report of the <I>Creating our Future: Minding our Past: National Cultural Strategy</I> was £3,175.25.

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Rhona Brankin, the then Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport, met representatives of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland on 26 June 2000. I met representatives of the commission on 27 September 2001.

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Rhona Brankin met with representatives of the Commission when she opened the Commission's Festival Exhibition on 6 August 1999. I met representatives of the Commission when I opened this year's Festival Exhibition on 21 August this year.

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Rhona Brankin, then Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport, attended the meeting of the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland in November 1999. I met with representatives of the council last month.

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Rhona Brankin, the then Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport, has met representatives of the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland twice since 1 July 1999, on 22 November 1999 and 4 October 2000. I have arranged to meet representatives of the Board on 12 Nove…

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of Scottish Screen since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Answer · Mike Watson: My predecessor, Allan Wilson, met representatives of Scottish Screen in May and October this year to discuss their programme of work. In addition, the following ministers have met representatives:<DIR><DIR><DIR><P>Rhona Brankin Opening of Scottish Screen offi…

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of the Independent Schools Tribunal since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The purpose of the Independent Schools Tribunal is to hear appeals against notices of complaint served on independent schools. As no appeals have been received since July 1999, there has not been a need for the tribunal to be constituted and ministers have no…

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of Community Learning Scotland since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Ministerial colleagues and myself have met members of Community Learning Scotland board and/or staff at the following official meetings:<P>Peter Peacock, October 1999, meeting with Community Learning Scotland Board<P>Peter Peacock, January 2000, meeting with…

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on which occasions ministers or deputy ministers with responsibility for education have met representatives of St Mary's Episcopal Primary School in Dunblane since 1 July 1999.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Ministers, or deputy ministers, with responsibility for education have not met with representatives of St Mary's Episcopal Primary School in Dunblane on any occasion since 1 July 1999.

19 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Police STATS 19 form is the most accurate way of identifying the number and type of personal injuries that occur from road accidents, and whether any other record systems have been considered for use for this purpose.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The STATS 19 system, which is used throughout Great Britain, is designed to gather information for the production of statistics and to assist in the prevention of road accidents. It draws on the expertise of the police to collect information about key feature…

19 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the total number of students who have registered appeals with the Scottish Qualifications Authority as a result of the 2001 examination diet, broken down into (i) the number of papers appealed; (ii) the proportion of students who made appeals; (iii) the…

Answer · Jack McConnell: The administration of the appeals process is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority and I will ask the chair to write to you with the details requested. The latest position on appeals will be included in the next quarterly report to the parliament…

15 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have occurred on the A907 between (a) Causewayhead and Alloa and (b) Alloa and Dunfermline in each of the last five years.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover damage only acc…

15 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have occurred on the A827 between Kenmore and Killin in each of the last five years.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover damage only acc…

12 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have occurred on the Aberfoyle to Kilmahog stretch of the A821 in each of the past five years.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover damage only acc…

12 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have occurred on the (a) Baljaffrey to Carbeth and (b) Carbeth to Drymen stretches of the A809, in each of the past five years.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover damage only acc…

11 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all of the #10 million announced by the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs on 6 August 2001 has now been allocated to schools and whether any local authorities have altered the criteria for distributing the money to schools in their area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Following checking of payment claims, a total of £9,707,500 was paid to authorities in late September and early October. The timing of credits to individual school accounts is a matter for the local authorities, but should have happened soon after the payment…

11 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) individuals and (b) organisations have made representations to it concerning the closure of its Environment and Rural Affairs Department local area offices in Stirling, Forfar and Dundee.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Since the announcement about the rationalisation of our offices in Central Scotland was made on 10 August 2001, we have received formal representations from Dundee and Stirling Councils, the Angus Branch of the Scottish National Farmers Union and the followin…

11 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned into any impact on traffic flows which the formation of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park will have on (a) the A84 between Callander and Lochearnhead and (b) the A85 between Lochearnhead and Crianlarich.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has not commissioned any research to look at the possible impact of the National Park on traffic flows.

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were employed in its Environment and Rural Affairs Department area offices in (a) Stirling, (b) Dundee and (c) Forfar in each of the past three years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Staff complements in the three offices in each of the past three years were as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=285><TR><TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><P></TD><TD WIDTH="23%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">1998-99</TD…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the advice upon which the decision to close its Environment and Rural Affairs Department area offices in Stirling, Dundee, and Forfar was taken.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No. It is not normal practice to actually publish advice, but the options considered can be summarised as follows:<DIR><DIR><P>a. Reorganisation into a single new building in Perth.<P>b. As (a) but retaining the Dundee Office.<P>c. As (a) but retaining the St…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18218 by Ross Finnie on 1 October 2001, what the annual financial savings will be to its Environment and Rural Affairs Department from closing its area office in Dundee.

Answer · Ross Finnie: As I have previously indicated, keeping the Dundee Office open would incur additional annual running costs of around £110,000.

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18217 by Ross Finnie on 1 October 2001, whether any consultations were undertaken with the local farming communities concerning the closure of its Environment and Rural Affairs Department area offices in Dundee and Forfar.

Answer · Ross Finnie: As I have previously indicated, there were no formal consultations with local farming communities about the rationalisation of the department's agricultural offices.

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what sums are being reallocated from the departmental underspends, as outlined in its announcement of 19 September 2001, to the Scottish Arts Council, the Scottish Sports Council and the proposed national theatre company.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Up to £1 million is being allocated to <B>sport</B>scotland, the majority of which will be for repairs and maintenance to the National Centre, and £710,000 to the Scottish Arts Council. In the parliamentary debate on culture on 25 October, I gave a full accou…

2 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recently established Agriculture and Environment Working Group will consider the future provision and location of the Environment and Rural Affairs Department's network of local area offices.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Agriculture and Environment Working Group has a wide remit, including a review of the provision of environmental advice and guidance to farmers and crofters. This will include the guidance provided through the Environment and Rural Affairs Department's Ar…

28 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs has any plans to visit St Mary's Episcopal Primary School to meet parents and teachers before January 2002.

Answer · Jack McConnell: I have no plans to do so. Stirling Council is best placed to discuss the future arrangements for this school.

28 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost to launch, publish and distribute the digital inclusion strategy Digital Inclusion: Connecting Scotland's People.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The cost of launching, publishing, and distributing the document <I>Digital Inclusion: Connecting Scotland's People</I> was £4,640.88.

27 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many visitors Historic Scotland properties located in (a) Stirling, (b) Clackmannanshire and (c) Fife have received in each year from 1999 to date.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to answer. His response is as follows.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Listed in the table are the visitor numbers for Historic Scotland staffed sites in the Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Fife local authority…

26 Sep 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider its decision to close its Environment and Rural Affairs Department office in Stirling given the current situation in the agriculture industry.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No. As I have previously indicated, the decision to close the Stirling Office was taken after careful consideration of a number of options. I reviewed the decision in the light of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and other difficulties facing the indust…