Fergus Ewing

27 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to ensure that the working practices and hours of grit lorry drivers comply with all legal requirements and guarantee the safety of the driver and a minimum resting period.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The way in which drivers are organised is a matter for BEAR Scotland Ltdprovided all contractual and legal obligations are met. The Scottish Executive Is in regular contact with BEAR Scotland Ltd to ensure safe and efficientwinter maintenance of the trunk roa…

27 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the working practices implemented by BEAR Scotland in connection with the winter maintenance rotas of trunk roads for which they are responsible and whether it has made any representations to the Health and Safety Executive about these matters.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: BEAR Scotland Ltd mustcomply with all legislation affecting their workforce, including winter rotas.</p><p>The Scottish Executive takes health and safety issues very seriously and would immediatelyraise any alleged breach with BEAR and if necessary would not …

27 Nov 2003 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S2W-3575 by Mr Andrew Welsh on 19 November 2003, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will place in the Scottish Parliamentary Information Centre the monthly reports on the work of the Scottish Parliament staff member based in Brussels.

Answer · Andrew Welsh: The monthly reports from the Scottish Parliament staff member based in Brussels to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body are made available every month on the External Liaison Unit’s pages on SPEIR <a href="http://intranet/speir/services/elu/elu-hd-report…

27 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3668 by Mr Jim Wallace on 14 November 2003, which public limited companies have had their registered offices in Scotland as a result of commencing trading in each year since 1997.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Claire Clancy,the Chief Executive of Companies House, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>Companies House is aRegistry, and as such information held on record on public limited companiescan be accessed either from our website <a href="h…

27 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-715 by Allan Wilson on 13 November 2003, what appropriate measures it is taking to bring stability to the European salmon market and reduce the risk of a recurrence of dumping.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive and the Departmentof Trade and Industry are presently considering the case for “safeguardmeasures” under the terms of EC Regulation 3285/ 94 and 519/84 (the SafeguardsRegulation).</p>

27 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer to question S2W-3452 by Nicol Stephen on 12 November 2003, what the 12 road projects referred to in the answer are, showing in each case the (a) road, (b) part of the road being upgraded and (c) total amount of spending from (i) local authorities and (ii) European struc…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The twelve road projects fundedfrom European Structural Funds are listed below with the associated local authoritycontributions to each project. Other local authority roads expenditure, given inthe Provisional Outturn Estimate, is managed locally.</p><table …

27 Nov 2003 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether EMBT/RMJM have completed the services to be provided under their contract with the Scottish Parliament and, if not, what work remains to be completed, with particular reference to any design work.

Answer · George Reid: The convener of the HolyroodProgress Group has informed me that EMBT/RMJM has not yet completed thecontract for architectural services and continues to provide those services stillrequired on a day to day basis. The architect is required to verify all work on…

26 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to the points raised by Jim and Margaret Cuthbert in their letter in The Scotsman on 25 November 2003; how much borrowing the water and sewerage industry could have undertaken under the system of financial control in 2001; whether the industry could have borrowed …

Answer · Ross Finnie: I have already responded tothe points made by Jim and Margaret Cuthbert in the <i>The Scotsman</i> priorto the 25 November. I do not believe their letter of 25 November raises anysignificant new points.</p><p>In 2001-02, in accordancewith the rules governing …

20 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister was due to officially open the Arisaig bypass section of the A830; on what date or dates it had been planned for him to officiate at the opening; whether he will officiate at the opening ceremony on a future date; and when the Executive will announce any decisi…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I am exploring the possibility of attending a ceremony in the spring to acknowledge the achievement of constructing the recently completed section of the A830 between Arisaig and Kinsadel. The First Minister has not planned to attend.</p><p>Planning for the i…

19 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made written representations to HM Customs and Excise regarding Audit Scotland's VAT status and, if so, whether copies of such representations will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Audit Scotland isa statutory body independent of the Scottish Executive. The Executive does not haveresponsibility for VAT matters relating to Audit Scotland. Such questions shouldbe addressed to the Auditor General for Scotland.</p>

19 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid by Audit Scotland in respect of VAT in each year since inception.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Audit Scotland isa statutory body independent of the Scottish Executive. The Executive does notprovide accounting services to Audit Scotland. Such questions should be addressed to the AuditorGeneral for Scotland.</p>

14 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the provisions regarding right to buy under the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003 will come into force.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We aim to implement Part 2of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003 (which introduces a right for tenants tobuy the farm they rent) in late spring 2004.</p><p>Commencement requires Part 2of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 (which introduces the comm…

13 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been made available to promote walking and cycling and to reduce traffic accidents in the Highland Council area and which projects have received funds under this allocation.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive has allocated£1,493,000 to Highland Council over the period 2000-06 for safer routes to schooland cycling, walking and safer streets projects. The council has used itsallocations for the period 2000-04 to develop safer routes to school at 72scho…

13 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been representations from community councils in Ardnamurchan and Morvern regarding any potential danger posed by tankers using the Sound of Mull; what information it has on the potential danger of cargo coming ashore on the Sound and its impact on industry and wildlife;…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The representations receivedfrom Morvern Community Council relate to reserved matters and were referred tothe Department for Transport for reply. Maritime safety matters are reserved.</p>

6 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, any assessment of financial impacts on transport of the implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in particular any consequences the act may have in relation to providing access to buses for wheelchair users.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) is a reserved issue. The Scottish Executive has not made any assessment of the financial impacts on transport of the (DDA).</p>

6 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether patients in Inverness will be consulted regarding the introduction of NHS 24.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Meetings were held inadvance of launching the service with NHS Highland, Highland Health Council, andthe Local Healthcare Co-operative which covers Inverness. Information materialswere also distributed to every GP surgery in the area. These materials included…

6 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service keeps, and will continue to keep, manual records of those cases where the 110-day rule, and any replacement of that rule, applies.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The Crown Office andProcurator Fiscal Service holds all case information in a national casetracking database, which is the principal data record for all cases. Inaddition, selected manual records of solemn custody cases are kept, to assistin the management of…

6 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the original estimated cost of the new IT programmes for the Scottish Courts Service proposed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service; whether the service will secure best value in the use of funds for the IT programmes; when the new programmes…

Answer · Colin Boyd: The Crown Office andProcurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is introducing new IT programmes as part ofits modernisation of casework processing systems: the “Future Office System”(FOS). The COPFS will shortly commence the roll-out of the first phase of FOS,which wi…

5 Nov 2003 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has made all documentary and other evidence that it has available to the Holyrood inquiry; whether the SPCB requested that any particular items be kept confidential, and, if so, whether the nature of such items can be identified and …

Answer · George Reid: Documentary evidence hasbeen, and continues to be, made available to the Holyrood Inquiry. The SPCB, aslegal owner of the Holyrood project in succession to the then Secretary ofState, is bound by contractual and other obligations created in addition to anyent…

5 Nov 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on whether there should continue to be a source for the supply of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuel in Inverness for vehicles converted to run on that fuel.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive promotes the use of LPG through itsfunding of the Energy Saving Trust’s PowerShift and associated autogas andvehicle conversion programmes, and its rural petrol stations grant scheme. Thesupply of LPG fuel is, however, a commercial matt…

3 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the expenditure of any non-departmental public body and, if so, which expenditure it plans to reduce.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive’s spending plans for 2003-06 were set out in the <i>Draft Budget 2004-05</i>which was published on 11 September 2003.</p>

3 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will propose a long-term plan for the upgrading of the trunk road network.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Very significant investmentin the upgrading of the trunk road network is already committed during thisdecade. Longer term upgrading of the trunk road network will be considered aspart of the Strategic Projects Review which will consider all transport modes.Th…

3 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include dualling any parts of the (a) A9, (b) A96, (c) A82 and (d) A95 in the next round of trunk road improvements and, if so, which stretches of each road it is planning to dual.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: As part of the A9 routeaction plan it is planned to extend the existing dual carriageway atCrubenmore. Longer term upgrading of the trunk road network will be consideredas part of the strategic projects review which will consider all transportmodes. That revi…

3 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the newly upgraded stretch of the A830 between Kinsadel and Arisaig will be opened; whether there have been any delays to the opening of the road and, if so, what the reasons are for any such delay.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The road was completely openedto traffic on 25 July 2003. The contract anticipated that the road should havebeen opened in March 2003. Delays to the opening were the result of difficultiesexperienced by the contractor partly as a result of exceptionally sever…

3 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the increase in the interest rate level of student loans and whether it was consulted by Her Majesty's Government before the interest rate was increased.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Student support is devolved.The value of outstanding student loan amounts is uprated annually in line withinflation in order to maintain the value of the amount borrowed constant inreal terms. The method of calculation is set out in part V of the Education(St…

27 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any representations to Scottish Screen that no more funding should be provided for the documentary about the Holyrood project.

Answer · Frank McAveety: Funding decisions are amatter for the board and management of Scottish Screen, but decisions by theLottery Committee on the allocation of lottery funds, as in this case, must betaken in accordance with Department for Culture Media and Sport rules.</p>

27 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government on the social inclusion implications for those in Scotland who do not receive a good analogue signal and who have recently had ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 free-to-view services withdrawn from their digital service; whether…

Answer · Frank McAveety: The First Ministerraised these issues at a meeting with Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State forCulture, Media and Sport, in September. Although details are not yet finalised,a scheme is planned which will allow those customers who currently have asatellite viewi…

24 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in attempting to persuade UEFA to choose Scotland as the host of the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championships, what the costs and benefits of hosting the competition would be, and what expenditure it has incurred in promoting Scotland's campaign to host the cha…

Answer · Frank McAveety: It is for the ScottishFootball Association to make any bid to UEFA to host the 2004 European Under-21Championships. That can only be done if and when Scotland qualify for thefinals.</p>

24 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the best practice guidance for local authorities on how to tackle the problems associated with seagulls in urban areas will be finalised; whether such guidance will be published; whether the guidance will be issued in sufficient time to enable local authorities to implement it prior …

Answer · Allan Wilson: Officials have already metwith a number of directors of environmental health from local authorities, todiscuss their current methods and best practices on dealing with this issue. Inaddition we are exploring potential research opportunities to assist indevelo…

14 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Permanent Secretary reported in The Herald on 9 October 2003, (a) whether it will clarify the remit, membership and estimated annual cost of the (i) group for hori'on scanning and (ii) performance and innovation unit, (b) what the role, remit and renum…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The group charged withhorizon scanning is a sub-group of the existing management group, chaired bythe Permanent Secretary and including some members of the management group. Itwill be supported by the strategy unit, which has been drawn from the previouslyexi…