Mr Duncan Hamilton

15 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much is spent by each police force on overtime for police officers and how much such spending is in respect of police officers attending court.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The latest expenditure figures for overtime for police officers are shown in the following table. Information on expenditure in respect of overtime for police officers attending court is not held centrally.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=340><…

5 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or any other body which has responsibility for natural heritage issues has any plans to hold an independent enquiry into marine conditions in the Loch na Keal area on the Isle of Mull.

Answer · Allan Wilson: We are not aware of any plans to hold such an inquiry.

28 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22522 by Lewis Macdonald on 21 February 2002, how it defines "the spring" and, in particular, when spring begins and when it ends.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Question S1W-22522, asked about the timetable for consulting on the draft service specification for the tendering of services currently provided by Caledonian MacBrayne. We plan to publish the draft specification in May or June.

28 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the consultation carried out by Highland NHS Board over the appointment of a general practitioner in Helmsdale was adequate.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The procedure for the appointment of general practitioners is set out in the NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995. The only statutory consultation which an Island NHS Board or Primary Care Trust is required to undertake is with the Area …

26 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the letter to me from the Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning dated 14th February 2002, which ministers' remits cover issues concerning ferry services operated by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Wendy Alexander, Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning has cabinet level responsibility for all transport matters.

21 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it can give to the people of Colonsay over the future of freight services to the island.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Caledonian MacBrayne currently offers reliable and affordable ferry services, providing for passengers, cars and freight traffic, to Colonsay and other island communities in the Clyde and Western Isles. We are fully committed to protecting fares and levels of…

21 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any representations to Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd in order to ensure that the Dunoon to Gourock car ferry service is retained.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Only the passenger element of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd's Gourock to Dunoon route is eligible for public subsidy. The company carries vehicles on a commercial basis and may reduce or withdraw that provision at its own discretion.

20 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider incorporating the Jura to Islay ferry service into the tendering process for the routes currently being served by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Jura to Islay ferry is the responsibility of Argyll and Bute Council. This route has already been tendered successfully by the council, and we have no plans to include it in the tendering of routes currently being served by Caledonian MacBrayne.

30 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21446 by Lewis Macdonald on 21 January 2002, in what month it expects to be able to report on the consultation exercise on Caledonian MacBrayne services.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We plan to publish the draft service specification for consultation in the spring. Following consideration of responses, final decisions will be made later this year. The issues are complex and the timescales will depend on consideration of detailed points ra…

30 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it complied with the timetable for implementation of the EU directive on electronic commerce.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Implementation of the E-Commerce Directive was required before 17 January 2002. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is responsible for implementation generally in Great Britain. The DTI announced on 14 December 2001 its intention to publish and consult…

24 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it met the deadline for the implementation of the European Union's e-commerce Directive (2000/31/EC) and, if it did not, by how much it missed the deadline and what the explanation was for the delay.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-4608 on 7 February 2002.

23 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hold an enquiry into the causes and handling of the landslides on the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful in Argyll which caused a five day closure of this route.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. Following the landslides, the Scottish Executive asked the Performance Audit Group (PAG) to examine how BEAR Scotland Ltd handled the incident. The PAG concluded that BEAR responded efficiently with diversions put in place and resources mobilised quickly …

15 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20256 by Ross Finnie on 9 January 2002, whether the study into the costs and feasibility of a heavy duty cable network to take electricity from wind farms and wave energy devices from the Highlands and Islands to English markets will be produced befo…

Answer · Ross Finnie: This study was commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry, and a draft report outlining the consultants' findings has now been received by that department. A further announcement is expected from DTI during the next few weeks.

24 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the precise remit will be of the consultation exercise in 2002 on Caledonian MacBrayne services, referred to in Argyll and Bute Council's news release of 20 December 2001, when it will report, and whether this exercise will include a route-by-route analysis of the Caledonian MacBrayn…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The proposed consultation will be on a draft of the service specification to be used when the services currently provided by Caledonian MacBrayne are put out to competitive tender in line with European law. The consultative draft specification will set out pr…

21 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money would be raised in each local authority area by discontinuing the 50% council tax discount in respect of second homes.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Information on the number of second homes in each local authority area is not held centrally. The existing arrangements for the distribution of government grants take account of a council's local tax raising ability, including the incidence of council tax exe…

20 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider fully lighting the stretch of the A85 through Dalmally which is subject to a 40 mph speed restriction.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has considered providing street lighting on the A85 trunk road at Dalmally. There is no trend in night-time accidents which would justify lighting this stretch of road.

20 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to small businesses to help them comply with any order served upon them to curtail noise levels.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Individuals and businesses are required to comply with the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which prohibits statutory nuisances, including the emission of noise, that are prejudicial to health or a nuisance. Where a business is found to be in breach of the l…

20 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it has had with the Meat and Livestock Commission in 2001.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has periodic discussions with the Meat and Livestock Commission at official and ministerial level about a wide range of issues relating to the meat and livestock industries.

20 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has given to the Meat and Livestock Commission in each year since 1997.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Meat and Livestock Commission receives most of its funds from levies raised from the cattle, sheep and pig industries, and is not given any direct funding by the Scottish Executive.

20 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who its representative is on the Meat and Livestock Commission and which members of the Commission it nominated or over whose appointment it was consulted.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Meat and Livestock Commission is an industry body constituted under the Agriculture Act 1967 and the Scottish Executive does not have a representative on it. There are 15 Commissioners, including the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, and all these appointment…

18 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the cost of the new vessel on the Barra-Eriskay ferry route will be met under borrowing consent or funded by the Executive.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The two new vessels to be ordered by Caledonian MacBrayne, at an estimated cost of £12.6 million, will be financed under loan arrangements with the Scottish Executive.

17 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of subsidy it allocates to Caledonian MacBrayne and what percentage this figure is of Caledonian MacBrayne's annual turnover.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: In the financial year ending 31 March 2001, Caledonian MacBrayne received Revenue Deficit Grant of £19 million. Turnover during that year was £57.765 million. The subsidy was therefore equivalent to 32.9% of turnover.

13 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-19680 and S1W-19681 by Angus MacKay on 19 November 2001, whether it will consider relocating civil service jobs to Argyll and Bute in the foreseeable future.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Two objectives govern relocation decisions. First, the location of organisations should promote efficiency and effectiveness. Second, subject to the first objective, the work of the Scottish Executive and related bodies should be close to the communities they…

5 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of any (a) code of conduct and (b) complaints procedures that relate to staff of Scottish Natural Heritage.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20502.

5 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) complaints procedures are available to the public and (b) disciplinary procedures are in place in respect of members of staff at Scottish Natural Heritage.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) publishes its complaints procedure as part of its Natural Standards Charter and is available to the public on the SNH Website (www.snh.org.uk) or on request from SNH. <P>Disciplinary procedures for staff members are in place as…

3 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many domestic properties in the Highlands and Islands area currently receive a 50% discount on their council tax and what the total value of this discount is.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The following table shows the number of dwellings, at 3 September 2001, in the Highlands and Islands area subject to 50% discounts. The table also shows the council tax income that would be raised if no discounts applied.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDIN…

3 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to appoint a minister with specific responsibility for the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The responsibility for Highlands and Islands Enterprise continues to lie with the Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning. However, other ministers including the Minister for Environment and Rural Development and the Minister for Touri…

28 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what teleradiology facilities are available to patients in Stornoway, to which mainland hospital any such facilities are linked and whether the current operation of any such service is successful.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is committed to modernising health services. That includes the introduction of new technology where appropriate, and in particular where it supports the key objectives of raising standards, improving access and reducing inequalities.<P>…

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long the study into the costs and feasibility of a heavy duty cable network to take electricity from wind farms and wave energy devices from the Highlands and Islands to English markets will take.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We understand that this study, which has been commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry, is due to report shortly.

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18467 by Angus MacKay on 8 October 2001, whether it is now able to say whether the responses to its consultation paper A Modern Complaints System: Consultation Paper for Public Sector Ombudsmen in Scotland favoured the inclusion of enterprise externa…

Answer · Peter Peacock: As Mr MacKay explained in the answer given to question S1W-18467 on 8 October 2001, the consultation paper proposed that the External Complaints Adjudicators will be wound up and that complaints relating to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterp…