Fergus Ewing

27 Nov 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer when the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body was made aware of the contents of the quarterly accounts of Flour City International Inc for the period to 31 July 2001.

Answer · David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body did not see the contents of the quarterly accounts of Flour City International for the financial period to 31 July 2001.

27 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the title of the proposed National Park is "Cairngorms", given that there is only one peak named "Cairngorm", and what consideration it gave to the evidence submitted to the Rural Development Committee on this matter.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The title reflects the consensus which emerged from those who responded on this matter to the Scottish Natural Heritage consultation. That consensus favoured the use of "Cairngorms" in the title of the National Park, to differentiate between the sin…

27 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any difficulties in bringing into operation the new Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme and, in particular, in relation to the software to be used in connection with the scheme and its administration; whether there is any delay in when the scheme will come into operation; wh…

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme (SFGS) represents a major change from the current Woodland Grant Scheme and Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (both of which operate across Great Britain). Development of information systems to support SFGS is a significant task…

26 Nov 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd submitted any tenders for Holyrood Project packages other than that for which it was awarded a contract and, if so, for which packages and on what date any such tenders were received.

Answer · David Steel: Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd submitted unsuccessful tender bids for four packages, other than their successful bid for the MSP Building Cladding package. The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has informed me that identities of unsuccessful t…

26 Nov 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer on what date, or dates, any member of the Holyrood Project Team met directors of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd (a) John Tang, (b) Johnson Fong or (c) Edward Boyle; what matters were discussed at any such meetings, and whether any meeting took place between any one or more of the…

Answer · David Steel: My answer to question S1W-26364 on 13 June 2002 provided details of a meeting on 4 September 2001, which was attended by representatives of Flour City International Inc, Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd, Bovis Lend Lease (Scotland) Ltd and the Holyroo…

26 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any funding decisions of the European Commission being retrospectively reclassified in the light of new information or of such new information being factored into on-going and future negotiations.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Commission has confirmed that the regulations set a fixed date (26 March 1999) for establishing eligibility based on the data available at that time. Data which becomes available after that date cannot be taken into consideration. <P>The most up to date s…

26 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether transitional funding for the Highlands and Islands will cease in 2006 and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The current round of Structural Funds Programmes runs from 2000 to 2006. Allocation of funds ceases for all programmes at the end of 2006, although activity may continue to the end of 2006. Elements of funding in transitional programmes reduce after 2005. In …

26 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding any miscalculation of entitlement to Objective One funding for the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Officials in the Scottish Executive are in regular contact with the Scotland Office and have appraised colleagues in the Scotland Office of the recent work undertaken by the Office of National Statistics to review the figures. The Office of National Statistic…

26 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or plans to make, to the European Commission regarding any miscalculation of entitlement to Objective One funding for the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive keeps in regular touch with the European Commission. The Commission has confirmed that the regulations governing the current Structural Funds set a fixed date (26 March 1999) for establishing eligibility based on the data available at that time.…

26 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with the Scotland Office regarding any miscalculation of entitlement to Objective One funding for the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Officials in the Scottish Executive are in regular contact with the Scotland Office and have appraised colleagues in the Scotland Office of the recent work undertaken by the Office of National Statistics to review the figures. The Office of National Statistic…

26 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with the Office for National Statistics regarding any miscalculation of entitlement to Objective One funding for the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Eurostat and not the Office for National Statistics (ONS) calculate entitlement to Objective One funding on the basis of the most up-to-date data available to them at the time. The ONS, as always, provided Eurostat with the most up to date and accurate statis…

25 Nov 2002 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive will submit a backdated application to the European Commission for Objective 1 status for the Highlands and Islands in the light of any errors made by the Office for National Statistics in compiling GDP figures.

Answer · Jack McConnell: We will fight to secure the best deal for the Highlands and Islands. The deal struck by Tony Blair in Berlin in 1999 means that the Highlands and Islands has not lost out as it secured a comparable amount of funding. If the statistics show that full status wo…

19 Nov 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what the cost has been to date of the Holyrood Progress Group newsletters.

Answer · David Steel: The cost to date of the Holyrood Progress Group's 11 newsletters is £8469.14 excluding VAT.

5 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated budget for (a) Scottish Natural Heritage, (b) the national parks programme and (c) the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park will be in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05 and (iii) 2005-06.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The funding allocation for Scottish Natural Heritage over the three years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 is £58.5 million, £60.9 million and £61.5 million respectively.<P>Over the same period the allocation for national parks is £6.7 million, £7.1 million and £…

5 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to its consultation document Registration of Sellers and Buyers of First Sale Fish, why a registration system is necessary; what the estimated cost of putting the system in place would be, and whether a registration system is required given that it is a proposal contained in …

Answer · Ross Finnie: EU legislation (Council Regulation 2847/93) envisages that auction centres or other bodies or persons responsible for the first marketing of fishery products and therefore, the submission of sales notes to the control authorities shall be authorised by member…

4 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the impact of the proposed weekend ban for the scallop industry on the industry's ability to continue to send scallops to the major Spanish market on Thursdays, which caters for Spanish weekend consumers.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The information regarding the impact of the proposed weekend ban on scallop exports to Spain has only recently been submitted to the Scottish Executive. It is being assessed by officials and will be fully considered before any statutory instrument is laid bef…

4 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs there are in the scallop industry.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30603 on 30 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk…

4 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of any threat to the future of the scallop industry from the Food Standards Agency's proposed tiered testing regime, it is premature for any technical conservation measures to be introduced until the impact of implementing European Directive 91/492/EEC or the derogation …

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30607 on 6 November 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk…

4 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will not lay any statutory instrument on technical conservation measures in respect of the scallop industry in light of (a) opposition to the measures expressed in evidence to the Rural Development Committee by representatives of the industry on 8 October 2002 and (b) the recom…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive will of course take into account such views before laying any statutory instrument.

4 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30423 by Ross Finnie on 1 November 2002, whether it will give a brief analysis of each response to its consultation on technical conservation measures for the scallop industry, showing (a) the name of the individual or body responding to the consulta…

Answer · Ross Finnie: No; the responses, except those which are confidential, are publicly available in the Scottish Executive Library, K-Spur, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3XD.

30 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received on why no submission was made to the European Commission from the UK to receive a share of its financial package to fight transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) and other animal diseases in the EU in 2003.

Answer · Ross Finnie: EU legislation requires member states to submit applications for such funding by 1 June. The Executive is aware that due to an administrative oversight a submission from the UK was not submitted by that deadline. Administrative procedures have been amended to…

29 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to alter the current rule that registration of children for dentistry services under the NHS lasts for only 15 months and whether it will amend the rule so that a child remains registered as a patient with a dental practice until he or she reaches adulthood.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive has no current plans to alter the 15-month NHS registration period with a dentist.

29 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider the decision to restrict ex-gratia payments to widows or widowers of members of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes that died before 18 December 2002 to 50% of the amount that their spouse or partner would have received in order to extend to such widow…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to my letter of 9 August 2002 to the Convener of the Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee (PE500). I understand that a copy of my letter has been passed to the member by the convener for his information.

29 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5716 by Lewis Macdonald on 10 October 2002, whether there were any significant differences between the Scottish Transport Group (STG) and National Bus Company (NBC) pension schemes and, in particular, whether (a) the STG scheme members (i) worked for…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to my letter of 12 June 2002 to the Convener of the Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee (PE500). I understand that a copy of my letter was passed to the member by the convener for his information.

29 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5716 by Lewis Macdonald on 10 October 2002, whether it will make any further representations to Her Majesty's Government for the granting of a concession by the Inland Revenue to allow ex-gratia payments in respect of the Scottish Transport Group pen…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to my letter of 1 November 2002 to the Convener of the Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee (PE500). I understand that a copy of my letter has been passed to the member by the convener for his information.

28 Oct 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer why the seating provision in the public gallery of the chamber in the new Parliament building will not be at least 250 as stated in press release no. 026/2000 issued on 2 June 2000; on what date approval was given to reduce the total number of seats below 250, and whether the Scottish Parl…

Answer · David Steel: The total number of seats is not below 250. Seating provision for the press and public in the Holyrood Chamber, including that for disabled visitors, will total 277.

17 Oct 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what the meaning was of Paul Grice's statement that "there is an issue around performance bonds, which the corporate body is sei'ed of and is pursuing at the moment" (Official Report, Finance Committee, 8 October 2002, c 2231).

Answer · David Steel: A review of the continuing need for Performance Bonds recommended by the Construction Manager was carried out by the Holyrood Project Team and the results were reported to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body in September. Every effort is now being made …

17 Oct 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer, with regard to the statement by Paul Grice that there was a reduction to the cost of works packages where no performance bond was received in cases where such a bond was to have been provided (Official Report, Finance Committee, 8 October 2002, c 2231), whether he will list those contract…

Answer · David Steel: For reasons of commercial confidentiality, I am unable to provide such a list of contracts. I can confirm, however, that payment for a bond is only authorised when the client is in receipt of an agreed and signed bond from the trade contractor's surety; if th…

17 Oct 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether the estimated losses arising from the insolvency of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd have now been assessed at #3.5 million, as stated by Sarah Davidson (Official Report, Finance Committee, 8 October 2002, c 2230), or #3.85 million, as stated by the Presiding Officer in his…

Answer · David Steel: There is no change to the previously reported cost to the project of £3.85 million, arising from the insolvency of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd. The breakdown is as follows: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=415><TR><TD WIDTH="86%" V…

17 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what follow-up action is taken to encourage and assist the return of application forms in respect of ex-gratia payments from the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We will be making a further effort to trace all the individuals who have not replied using the Department of Works and Pensions tracing service.