Parliamentary questions
Fergus Ewing
2,894 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what capital contracts are currently out to tender in relation to the Holyrood Project and what the timescale is in each case for (a) return of tenders, (b) award of contracts, (c) commencement on site and (d) completion of works.
Answer · David Steel: There are no Trade Packages out to tender currently.
21 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S1W-18874 on 12 October 2001, whether all design and specialist cladding services undertaken by Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd are the property of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.
Answer · David Steel: Yes.
21 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-20307 on 7 December 2001, whether any other contractor or contractors have been engaged to undertake the work contracted to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd.
Answer · David Steel: The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that the contractor to supply and install the bay window element of the MSP building cladding has been appointed. Tenders have been returned for the remaining elements and these are being analysed.
21 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-20307 on 7 December 2001, whether any advice has been received concerning the enforceability of the Parent Company Guarantee provided by Flour City International Inc in respect of the obligations of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd and, if so,…
Answer · David Steel: Legal advice is currently being sought concerning the enforceability of the Parent Company Guarantee provided by Flour City International Inc in respect of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd. Once this advice has been received, an assessment will be ma…
21 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to his answer to question S1W-20307 on 7 December 2001, whether a copy of the Parent Company Guarantee provided by Flour City International Inc in respect of the obligations of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · David Steel: The convenor of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that legal advice is currently being sought as to whether or not it is proper to release into the public domain details of the Parent Company Guarantee. If it is considered that there is no impediment …
21 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding any losses incurred following the insolvency of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd should be carried out; what grounds there are for such an inquiry; what the remit of such an inquiry should be; whether a request for…
Answer · David Steel: Audit Scotland is currently reviewing the Flour City contract as part of the routine audit of the SPCB's accounts. The SPCB decided at its meeting on 5 February 2002 to consider any further action in the light of Audit Scotland's findings.
15 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21201 on 15 January 2002, whether the contract with Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd was not concluded as final and binding until the contract was "completed as a deed" and, if so, on what legal basis the payments in respect of the work undert…
Answer · David Steel: Payments were made to Flour City under the terms of a Letter of Intent, issued to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd on 26 January 2001, which forms a legally binding agreement. The formal contract, concluded on 1 August 2001 superseded the letter of in…
15 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what credit check was carried out in respect of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd prior to 1 August 2001 and whether copies of any relevant correspondence will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · David Steel: There was no available published credit reference available for Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd, as the company had been operating in the UK for a relatively short period of time. Bovis Lend Lease who have responsibility for credit checks, therefore …
14 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the outside lane of the dual carriageway between Tomatin and Inverness remained covered with snow and ice for the whole day on Saturday 29 December 2001 and why, on that day, the road at Daviot was blocked by jack-knifed lorries unable to negotiate the hill.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Due to heavy snowfalls during the weekend of 29-30 December 2001, BEAR deployed gritters and snow ploughs on the A9.<P>The first priority on dual carriageway roads is to keep one lane open in each direction and once this has been achieved the gritters treat t…
14 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why BEAR Scotland Ltd has not responded to correspondence from Strathdearn Community Council dated 10 November 2001 regarding snowclearing and gritting on the A9 and what monitoring it conducts in respect of BEAR Scotland Ltd's response to correspondence.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: BEAR has replied to outstanding correspondence from Strathdearn Community Council on 12 November 2001 and apologised for overlooking earlier correspondence.<P>The Performance Audit Group carries out audits of the Operating Companies across a wide range of fun…
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures BEAR Scotland Ltd has in place to ensure that the highest regard is made to public safety when fulfilling its obligations under the trunk roads maintenance contract and what monitoring there is to ensure that such measures are in place and are complied with.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: BEAR Scotland Ltd has quality systems and operational procedures in place which require safety issues to be addressed, relating both to the public and its employees, whilst ensuring that its other obligations under the terms of the trunk road contract are met…
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will specify the powers it possesses under the trunk roads maintenance contact with BEAR Scotland Ltd to issue directions, orders or instructions to BEAR Scotland Ltd in respect of BEAR Scotland Ltd fulfilling its obligations under the contract and, in particular, what powers …
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The powers to issue directions, orders or instructions to BEAR are contained in the legal contact documents that form the contract.<P>Provided BEAR meets its contractual obligations, the Executive would not expect to interfere in the way BEAR uses its resourc…
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to it, or what inquiries it has made, into the condition of the pavements in Newtonmore during the week commencing 30 December 2001; whether the salt content of the grit was a factor in the condition of the pavements, and what action it has taken, and w…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No representations were received by the Scottish Executive concerning the condition of the footways in Newtonmore during the week commencing 30 December 2001.<P>All rock salt used on trunk roads and associated footways complies with British Standard BS 3247 a…
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and make publicly available copies of any communication between it and BEAR Scotland Ltd in connection with its monitoring of BEAR Scotland Ltd's performance under the trunk roads maintenance contract.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: It would not be appropriate to publish copies of correspondence between the Executive and BEAR Scotland Ltd because of contractual and commercial considerations. However, I have undertaken to publish a report by PAG on the first year of operation of the new c…
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether BEAR Scotland Ltd has any plans to reduce costs by lowering the salt content of the grit used on trunk roads and whether it will give details, including dates, of any representations it has made to BEAR Scotland Ltd on this matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There are no plans to amend the quality of salt specified in the contract documents. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21762 today.
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring it has carried out into the salt content in the grit used by BEAR Scotland Ltd in performing its obligations under the trunk roads maintenance contract; whether it will place a copy of the results of this monitoring in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and make it…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Performance Audit Group (PAG) is appointed by the Scottish Executive to audit and monitor the activities of BEAR Scotland Ltd, including their winter activities, and I have undertaken to publish a report by PAG on the first year of operation of the new co…
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the required level of salt in grit and how it ensures that there is not a low salt content in the grit used on trunk roads which results in a reduced effectiveness of the grit.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The policy for salt used to de-ice trunk roads is contained in the contract documents. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21762 today.
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the salt content of the grit used by BEAR Scotland Ltd in maintaining the trunk roads in the north of Scotland complies with the standards required under its contract; what testing it has conducted to check that BEAR Scotland Ltd are meeting these required standards; what the resu…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The contract requires that salt used to de-ice trunk roads must be regularly tested to comply with standards, and the records of these tests must be maintained for inspection. The Performance Audit Group intends to inspect this information as part of their on…
11 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the tender document which specified the standards required to be met by applicants for the trunk roads maintenance contracts made any stipulation as to the salt content to be used in grit.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The tender document specified that the Operating Company shall use rock salt complying with BS 3247 for de-icing operations.
10 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what emergency arrangements BEAR Scotland Ltd has in place for extreme weather conditions in the Highland Council area compared to the previous arrangements in place under the council.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: BEAR Scotland Ltd has arrangements in place for extreme winter weather conditions to mobilise standby plant, re-deploy resources from the combined North East and North West Units and to obtain additional resources from Ennstone Thistle, some local contractors…
10 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many road gritters BEAR Scotland Ltd is operating on each trunk road within the Highland Council area compared to the previous number operated by the council.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Information on the number of road gritters operated by BEAR Scotland Ltd can be found in the Winter Maintenance Plans published by BEAR for the North East and North West Units, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. No's 1811…
10 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many gritters are used by BEAR Scotland Ltd in order to fulfil its obligations under the trunk roads maintenance contract.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested can be found in the Winter Maintenance Plans published by BEAR Scotland Ltd for the North East and North West Units, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. No's 18110 and 18114).
10 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has inspected the vehicles used by BEAR Scotland Ltd to fulfil their obligations under the trunk roads maintenance contract in order to monitor whether the vehicles are fit for their purpose and whether the gritters used by them are able to, and do in practice, disperse suffici…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Trunk Road Maintenance Contracts require all gritters to be calibrated to ensure that they disperse the necessary quantities of salt. The Performance Audit Group has carried out audits on BEAR's winter operations, including winter maintenance vehicles, an…
10 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many workers are currently employed by BEAR Scotland Ltd in relation to the operation of the trunk roads maintenance contract.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The number of personnel currently employed directly by BEAR Scotland Ltd, in relation to the operation of the trunk road maintenance contracts in the North East and North West Units, is 231.
10 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated deer population was in each of the last 40 years; by what method any such estimates were determined, and what its position is on figures in respect of deer population provided by the Deer Commission for Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Annual estimated deer population figures are not held by the Scottish Executive.<P>The Deer Commission for Scotland (DCS) is the statutory body charged with furthering the conservation, control and sustainable management of wild deer in Scotland and detailed …
9 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether any losses to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body following the insolvency of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Limited are considered to have arisen as a result of force majeure.
Answer · David Steel: There have been no losses to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body as a result of "force majeure", following the insolvency of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Limited.
9 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21035 on 3 January 2002, whether Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd used the Holyrood site as its business address.
Answer · David Steel: As with all other trade package contractors taking occupation of the accommodation at the Holyrood site, Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd used the site address for business relating to the Holyrood Project.
9 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21034 on 3 January 2002, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will provide a list of the sub-contractors of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd and a list of the sums of money claimed by each sub-contractor as due to them by Flour Ci…
Answer · David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is not party to sub-contracts let by Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd and does not hold the information requested. This type of information is held by the official receiver.
9 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will request that an Official Report be taken of the proceedings in any future Holyrood Progress Group question and answer sessions.
Answer · David Steel: The Standing Orders stipulate that an <I>Official Report</I> shall be provided for all meetings of the Parliament. The question and answer sessions held by the Holyrood Progress Group are not formal meetings of the Parliament and it would not be appropriate, …
9 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15191 by Mr Jim Wallace on 23 April 2001, whether it has received a report from the Law Commission in respect of title to sue for non-patrimonial loss under the Damages (Scotland) Act 1976 and when it will bring forward proposals to the Parliament fo…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive expects to receive the Scottish Law Commission's report by the end of March. We will then consider whether any legislation is necessary in the light of the commission's recommendations.