Parliamentary questions

Mr Brian Monteith

1,042 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of launching, publishing and distributing its publication Communique: The Scottish Executive's Newsletter on Europe and External Relations issue one - September 2001, and what budget has been allocated to the continued publication of the newsletter in each of the n…

Answer · Jack McConnell: The first edition of <I>Communiqué </I>cost £1,615 to design, print and add to the Scottish Executive website. A total of 6,000 copies were produced. The cost of distribution to MSPs, Scottish MEPs, local authorities, European information centres, univ…

20 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to distribute the #101.9 million end year flexibility allocation to education.

Answer · Angus MacKay: £65 million of the £101.9 million end year flexibility figure results from a planned underspend to meet costs arising from the teachers' pay and conditions settlement. The Minister for Education will announce the use of the balance of the funds in due course.

20 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to distribute the #6.3 million end year flexibility allocation to culture and sport.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Some of the £6.3 million end year flexibility allocation to culture and sport will be used to meet some of the costs of the National Galleries of Scotland's refurbishment of the Royal Scottish Academy building, and works in Holyrood Park. Ministers will annou…

20 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which projects in Clackmannanshire have received funding from the New Futures Fund in each of the last two years.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: One project - the Central Scotland Council on Alcohol project in Sauchie - has received funding.

17 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17518 by Ross Finnie on 29 August 2001, what the financial savings will be from closing each of its Environment and Rural Affairs Department offices in Dundee and Forfar.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Keeping the Dundee office open, but closing those at Stirling and Forfar would incur additional annual running costs of around £110,000.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Keeping the Forfar office open, but closing those at Stirling and Dundee was not considered to be a prac…

17 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement on 10 August 2001 of a rationalisation of its agriculture and animal health offices in central Scotland, what consultation it undertook with the farming community in the Stirling area prior to the decision to close its office in the town.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There were no formal consultations with local farming communities about the rationalisation of the department's agricultural offices.

4 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17362 by Nicol Stephen on 22 August 2001, how many secondary school (a) pupils and (b) staff in each local authority area in Scotland have e-mail addresses at school.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The latest information available is shown in the table. Investment in information and communications technology through the National Grid for Learning programme has continued since September 2000, and the 2001 School Census will provide an updated picture of …

4 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review its target of providing an e-mail address for every school child by 2002 in light of the decision by the Cabinet of the National Assembly of Wales to review a similar pledge because of concerns over safety and security of pupils.

Answer · Jack McConnell: We already have. On 21 March this year I announced that the Executive was setting up a working group to review existing advice to schools and education authorities on the safe use of the internet. At the same time, the Executive wrote to education authorities…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its school buildings improvement fund is for the current financial year only or whether further allocations are to be made for future years.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The arrangements announced at this stage for the School Buildings Improvement Fund cover financial year 2001-02. Arrangements for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be the subject of further consideration following the meeting I intend to have with local authority lead…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to identify and monitor the improvements in schools resulting from the money allocated to local authorities from the school buildings improvement fund.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The grant application form requires authorities to provide a summary of the projects on which expenditure has been incurred.

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it decided on the amount to be allocated to each local authority in 2001-02 from the school buildings improvement fund announced on 22 August 2001.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The resources in the School Buildings Improvement Fund are being distributed to authorities on the basis of the education element of the formula which is at present used for the allocation of capital consents on non-housing programmes under section 94 of the …

29 Aug 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet and whether it has any plans for future meetings.

Answer · Allan Wilson: There has been no formal meeting between the Executive and Scottish Ballet's present Artistic Director and there are no current plans for such.

23 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have occurred during 2000 and so far during 2001 on the Stirling to Lochearnhead stretch of the A84.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The number of road accidents on the Stirling to Lochearnhead stretch of the A84 during 2000 and so far in 2001 is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=328><TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">Year</TD><TD WIDTH="20%" VALIGN…

23 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents occurred during the period 1990 to 1995 on the Stirling to Lochearnhead stretch of the A84.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The number of road accidents on the Stirling to Lochearnhead stretch of the A84 during the period 1990 to 1995 is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=347><TR><TD WIDTH="18%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">Year</TD><TD WIDTH="16%" VALIGN…

22 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17365 by Sarah Boyack on 21 August 2001, how many personal injury accidents occurred on the A92 between Tayport and Glenrothes in each year from 1990 to 1995.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The number of personal injury accidents on the A92 between Tayport and Glenrothes in each year from 1990 to 1995 is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=330><TR><TD WIDTH="17%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P>Year</TD><TD WIDTH="20%" …

22 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17361 by Sarah Boyack on 21 August 2001, whether it has made any representations to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, the Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate, Railtrack, the Rail Regulator or the British Tr…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I have nothing further to add to the answer given to question S1W-17361.

15 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what budget has been allocated to cover the costs of its National Cultural Strategy Joint Implementation Group.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The costs of the group will be met from within existing running costs provision.

15 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates its National Cultural Strategy Joint Implementation Group is scheduled to meet over the next twelve months.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Joint Implementation Group is scheduled to next meet on 14 January 2002. It is planned that the group meet every six months. However, no decision has been made as yet on the precise date of any subsequent meetings.

15 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it selected the members of its National Cultural Strategy Joint Implementation Group.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The members of the Joint Implementation Group represent agencies whose involvement is central in the implementation of the National Cultural Strategy. However, the group does plan to invite representatives from other bodies to contribute to discussions on spe…

14 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its press release SE1865/2001 of 10 August 2001, what the financial benefits will be of the closure of its Environment and Rural Affairs Department offices in Stirling.

Answer · Ross Finnie: A number of options were considered and closing the Stirling, Dundee and Forfar offices and centralising functions in a new building at Perth was the most attractive. As well as being most efficient from an operational point of view, it will save around £100,…

14 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its press release SE1865/2001 of 10 August 2001, whether it plans to transfer all of the staff from its Environment and Rural Affairs Department offices in Stirling to the new office in Perth.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Other than those transferring to other offices for reasons unrelated to this rationalisation, all existing staff in the Stirling office will be given the opportunity to transfer to the new office in Perth.

8 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14996 by Allan Wilson on 18 May 2001, how much financial assistance was given to the 2008 European nations football championship feasibility study by Scottish Enterprise, visitscotland, sportscotland and UK Sport.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The financial assistance given to support the 2008 European Nations Football Championships feasibility study was as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=359><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Scottish Enterprise</TD><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN=…

8 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of the publication, including the design, photocopying, printing, internet connection of text, distribution and launch, of Scotland's Freshwater Fish and Fisheries: Securing their future.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The total cost to date, including design, printing, placing on the Executive website, distribution and launch, is £1,800.

7 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for consultation on the Scottish Charity Law Review Commission report Charity Scotland through to its response to the Commission.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive has invited public comment on the Scottish Charity Law Review Commission's recommendations. The consultation period ends on 30 September. The Executive will consider the comments received before preparing a full response to the report. In doing …

6 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16843 by Sarah Boyack on 3 August 2001, how many road accidents have occurred on the Stirling to Ballat Cross stretch of the A811 in 2001 to date.

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…

6 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents occurred on the Stirling to Ballat Cross stretch of the A811 during the period 1990 to 1994.

2 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff the Scottish Environment Protection Agency employed in corporate and public relations in each of the past three years and how many are expected to be employed in each of the next two years.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The numbers of staff employed or expected to be employed in the relevant years are set out in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=429><TR><TD WIDTH="20%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Year</TD><TD WIDTH="40%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">T…

2 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has spent on redesigning its corporate logo.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The approximate cost of in-house resources to redesign the logo was £77.50, this being the cost of the graphic designer for one day. It should be noted that the changes were of a minor nature and no external expenditure was incurred.

2 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Environment Protection Agency spent on its recent management restructuring exercise.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The non-recurring costs of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's (SEPA) recent restructuring exercise were £6,654.29, which was spent on consultancy services.<P>There were no redundancy or compensation payments.<P>Additional staff costs of approximatel…

2 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many personal injury accidents occurred on the A91 between (a) Stirling and Milnathort and (b) Milnathort and St Andrews 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. <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">It should be noted that the statistics given in the table are based upon the data which are held…