Parliamentary questions
Donald Gorrie
955 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with Her Majesty's Government regarding the sale of Motherwell Bridge
Answer · Jim Wallace: There have been no discussionswith Her Majesty’s Government regarding the sale of Motherwell Bridge andcurrently there are no plans to do so.</p><p>My department is in contactwith both the company and the local enterprise company and will continue tomonitor t…
29 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-466 by Ross Finnie on 10 June 2003, how many prosecutions there were for litter offences in 2002.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The data for 2002 will bepublished in December 2003.</p>
26 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1728 by Peter Peacock on 19 August 2003, how many children are accessing each of the new centres of excellence referred to, broken down by centre and sphere of activity.
Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
26 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1724 by Peter Peacock on 19 August 2003, whether it will provide a substantive example of its commitment to the provision of special needs education, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Our commitment to the provisionof special needs education is set out fully in our policy statement, <i>Moving Forward!Additional Support for Learning</i>, published in January 2003. This outlines ourmeasures for promoting inclusion and equality within mainstr…
26 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1728 by Peter Peacock on 26 August 2003, which junior groups have benefited from sportscotland's lottery sports funding since the inception of the Junior Group Programme.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Since its inception in 1998,160 awards totalling £5,065,242<b> </b>have been made under this programme. The breakdown ofawards to each sport is set out in the table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Sport</p> </td> …
26 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what disbursement it has made from the Dewar Arts Awards; to whom such disbursements have been made, and in respect of which activities.
Answer · Frank McAveety: An independent trust was setup to administer the Dewar Arts Awards under the Chairmanship of Ruth Wishart. Followingrigorous assessment of initial nominations, the trustees identified the first twotalented young beneficiaries in February 2003, both students o…
26 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities are available in each local authority area for recycling plastics.
Answer · Ross Finnie: A study by RECOUP (Recyclingof Used Plastics Limited) for REMADE Scotland, published in March 2003, indicated that 14 local authoritiesin Scotland operated a plastic bottle collection system. A copy ofthis study, called <i>Plastic BottleRecycling in Scotland:…
25 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the implications for voluntary organisations of the VAT tribunal decision in the Pre-School Learning Alliance case and ensure that its departments, local authorities awarding grants and groups receiving grants are aware of the implications of this case.
Answer · Andy Kerr: VAT isa reserved matter. However, the Scottish ministers have been advised that the UKGovernment considers it unlikely that the decision of the tribunal in the case of the Pre-SchoolLearning Alliance will have an effect on voluntary organisations.</p><p>Norma…
24 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish all papers relating to environmental and other issues that contributed to the decision to favour the online route for the M80 extension at Cumbernauld.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: An appraisal summary table informing the minister’s decision on the choice of route for the M80 Stepps to Haggs was published in <i>Travel Choices for Scotland: Strategic Roads Review</i> in November 1999. Further information on the environmental impacts of t…
24 Sep 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways it is supporting the recruitment and training of voluntary coaches and the development of clubs in all sports.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive attaches greatimportance to the valuable role coaches and clubs make in our efforts to encouragewider participation in sport.</p><p>Through <b>sport</b>scotlandwe will have invested over £1.9 million in the three-year period to 2003-04 in acoach…
23 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to introduce legislation to permit class actions.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There are no plans at presentto introduce such legislation. The issues surrounding multi-party or representativeactions are complex and the arguments for and against the introduction of classaction procedure are finely balanced. There are already ways within …
18 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to include energy debt in its debt arrangement scheme.
Answer · Hugh Henry: We propose to include energydebt in debt payment programmes approved under the debt arrangement scheme. In addition,in order to prevent current liability becoming debt, the cost of current supplywill be taken into account and deducted along with other essenti…
10 Sep 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider allowing alcohol to be sold at Murrayfield Stadium and selected football grounds on a trial basis.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The NicholsonReport made a number of suggestions in this area and ministers are currentlyconsidering all the aspects of that report.</p>
8 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Home Office regarding the closure of the immigration office in Govan and whether it was consulted over the closure.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The immigration office inGovan has not closed, so there was no need for the Executive to makerepresentations or for it to be consulted. There have been some changes in theway asylum seekers can register claims affecting single adult asylum seekers,but familie…
29 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S2W-1866 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 28 August 2003, how many staff were initially affected by the change in direct debit payments in respect of their personal pensions.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: The number of MSPs staff whowere initially affected by the change was 151.</p>
29 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer which of the benefits listed in the leaflet Statement of Employee Benefits, issued by the Parliament's personnel office, applies to MSPs' staff.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: With the exception of thefinal salary pension scheme and access to the corporate good and hardship funds,all the benefits listed in the leaflet are either automatically available toMSPs staff as a minimum or can be implemented at the discretion of theemployin…
29 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to S2W-1861 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 28 August 2003, what steps the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has taken to establish whether any MSPs' staff affected by the change in the payment system for personal pensions have incurred loss as a result.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: As the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has complied with its obligations under theOccupational Pensions Regulatory Authority rules to pay over pension contributionsby the 19th day of each month, it has not deemed it necessary to take steps toestablish w…
29 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S2W-1864 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 28 August 2003, on how many occasions the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has communicated specifically with MSPs' staff on matters directly affecting them.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: The Scottish ParliamentaryCorporate Body is unable to quantify on how many occasions it has communicatedspecifically with MSPs’ staff on matters directly affecting them.</p>
29 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S2W-1865 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 28 August 2003, how many external organisations the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has made payments to under the direct debit scheme
Answer · Duncan McNeil: The total number of externalorganisations that the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has made paymentsto under the direct debit scheme is 24. </p>
22 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what differences there are between its responsibilities with regard to the education of school-age children at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre and its responsibilities with regard to the education of other temporary residents in Scotland, such as children of military personnel o…
Answer · Peter Peacock: Responsibility for theeducation of school-age children at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centrelies with Home Office ministers, who are continuing to discuss with the Scottish Executive and South Lanarkshire Council how to take forward the recommendations…
12 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been (a) allocated to and (b) spent on, projects in each of the six areas designated under the Fairshare programme between the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund since the programme was established.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The distribution of national lottery funds is a matter for the Lottery Distribution Bodies: Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen, <b>sport</b>scotland, New Opportunities Fund, Community Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund and Millennium Commission. The information …
11 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to whom it sold the former HM Prison Dungavel.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Home Office, Immigration andNationality Directorate.</p>
11 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any funds from the Scottish Prison Service's (SPS) budget are being used to support the operation of Dungavel House immigration removal centre and, if so, how much is being used, expressed as a percentage of the total SPS budget and in actual cash terms.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: <div class=Section1><p>I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>No funding from SPS budget isbeing used.</p></div>
7 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answers to questions S2W-1566, S2W-1567, S2W-1568 and S2W-1569 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 6 August 2003, what steps the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) took to inform MSPs, as employers, of the impact its decision to withdraw from the direct debit scheme would have…
Answer · Duncan McNeil: As none of the providershighlighted any specific problems prior to the withdrawal of the direct debitscheme and no problems were envisaged, the SPCB felt that it was notnecessary to inform individual MSPs of the change in the method of payment.</p>
7 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answers to questions S2W-1566, S2W-1567, S2W-1568 and S2W-1569 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 6 August 2003, how many staff have been affected by the decision of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) to withdraw from the direct debit scheme.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: Following the decision to withdrawfrom the direct debit scheme there are problems currently outstanding whichaffect eight members of staff all with the one provider. However, the SPCB has nowagreed a way forward with the provider to resolve these.</p>
7 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answers to questions S2W-1566, S2W-1567, S2W-1568 and S2W-1569 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 6 August 2003, what steps the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) is taking to address the issues relating to its inability to meet its obligations in relation to compliance with …
Answer · Duncan McNeil: The only way that the SPCB canensure that it complies fully with the regulations of OPRA is for it to havecomplete control over the payments made to the pension providers. Since thedirect debit system gives the pension provider full control of when and howmuc…
7 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answers to questions S2W-1566, S2W-1567, S2W-1568 and S2W-1569 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 6 August 2003, what the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) considers its responsibility to be in relation to the communication of matters, and decisions that it takes, directly a…
Answer · Duncan McNeil: The SPCB hasvarious ways of keeping staff employed by MSPs informed of issues that maydirectly affect them, for example: through the use of e-mail; notices;telephone; letters etc. In this case, however, because these procedural changeswere made in order to co…
7 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answers to questions S2W-1566, S2W-1567, S2W-1568 and S2W-1569 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 6 August 2003, which pension providers (a) responded and (b) did not respond to the correspondence sent to them relating to the ending of the direct debit scheme.
Answer · Duncan McNeil: The table below lists thepension providers who responded to our correspondence within three months ofreceipt and those who did not.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>Did respond within the first three months</p> </td> <td> <p>…
7 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answers to questions S2W-1566, S2W-1567, S2W-1568 and S2W-1569 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 6 August 2003, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has any plans to apologise formally to any staff, whose personal pension payments and arrangements have been adverse…
Answer · Duncan McNeil: The SPCB empathiseswith staff who have encountered problems. However, since it has complied withits obligations under Occupational PensionsRegulatory Authority and it has no influence on when the pensionproviders apply the contributions to the pension policie…
7 Aug 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answers to questions S2W-1566, S2W-1567, S2W-1568 and S2W-1569 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 6 August 2003, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has any plans to compensate any staff whose personal pension payments and arrangements have been adversely affected …
Answer · Duncan McNeil: The SPCB has noplans to compensate any staff whose personal pension payments and arrangementshave been adversely affected by the decision to change the method of paymentand withdraw from the direct debit scheme. The SPCB has complied with itsobligations under…