Parliamentary questions
Fergus Ewing
2,894 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it estimates will not be created or protected as a result of the loss of power to extend aid beyond the de minimis amount, because the assisted area status map has not been agreed between the Department of Trade and Industry and the European Commission, and whether any appli…
Answer · Henry McLeish: The main form of aid provided by the Scottish Executive, to create and safeguard jobs, is Regional Selective Assistance (RSA). The ending of the 1993-99 Assisted Areas map was well publicised and we received a large number of RSA applications prior to the end…
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from business organisations to reassess the calculation of the non-domestic rate poundage for 2000-01 and to ensure the continuation of the uniform business rate throughout the United Kingdom; whether it will give details of such representations…
Answer · Jack McConnell: I received representations from and/or held meetings on the forthcoming revaluation of non-domestic rates, including the issue of the rate poundage, with the Forum of Private Business, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Scottish Council Development and I…
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to abolish the office of the Water Industry Commissioner and instead reform the Scottish Water and Sewerage Customers Council as a consumer watchdog.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: No.
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many public meetings the Water Industry Commissioner has held since his appointment and how many he intends to hold.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Commissioner has held one public meeting, plus a number of meetings with a range of customer organisations, since his appointment on 1 November.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Once the three Water Industry Consultative Committees are appointed, the Commissioner will h…
20 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what sale price was achieved for Dalneigh Halls of Residence at Inverness College and whether a professional valuation of the estimated sale price of this heritable property was obtained and, if so, whether it will place a copy of the survey in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Dalneigh Halls of Residence were disposed of by Inverness College in 1998 on the open market, for £275,000. The college had first obtained a professional valuation of the property. The Scottish Executive does not have a copy of the valuation report.
20 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the total cost of funding of the learning resource centre at Inverness College was #4,806,000 and, if it was not, what was the actual cost, and whether it will (a) provide a breakdown of the cost between the services diversion, departmental relocation, learning resource centre, fr…
Answer · Henry McLeish: This information is not held centrally.
20 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that any matters relating to the finances and past management of Inverness College require to be referred to Audit Scotland, and whether it will consult with representatives of the workforce at the college in making such a decision.
Answer · Henry McLeish: No. The current management of Inverness College is in discussion with the Scottish Further Education Funding Council regarding the preparation of a recovery plan to address the College's financial position.
20 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an independent inquiry will be conducted into the financial accounts of Inverness College to investigate (a) the reasons for the accumulated deficit and (b) all capital projects including building works and alteration works, and in particular, (i) why the total cost of "department…
Answer · Henry McLeish: No. The Scottish Further Education Funding Council is assisting Inverness College to review its current activities, income and expenditure, on the basis of which the College is preparing a plan to recover its financial situation and to eliminate the accumulat…
20 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the financial accounts for Inverness College for the year ended March 1999 were due to have been published, and when they will be published.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The financial accounts of Inverness College for the year ended March 1999 should have been lodged with Companies House by 31 January 2000. I understand that the accounts are still the subject of discussion between the College and its auditors.
20 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of the consultancy report by Ben Johnston Hill of Nottingham regarding the financial position of Inverness College.
Answer · Henry McLeish: This information is not held centrally.
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken and proposes to take to tackle social exclusion in Kinlochleven, particularly in relation to the incidence of nuisance and anti-social behaviour.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Measures to tackle neighbour nuisance and anti-social behaviour were introduced under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, including Anti-social Behaviour Orders, new grounds for eviction for anti-social behaviour and additional powers for the police to seize noi…
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Road Accident Reduction Programme looking at road safety and traffic management at Duror and Kentallen on the A828 will take into account the measures which Duror and Kentallen Community Council has already proposed.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to my answer to question S1W-5408.
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations from the Duror and Kentallen Community Council with regard to safety measures on the A828, and what action it will take.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Yes. A Route Accident Reduction Plan (RARP) study has been completed for this route and addresses some of the issues raised by the Duror and Kentallen Community Council. The RARP has identified measures that would benefit the whole of the route including the …
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the involvement of United Auctions plc in relation to the continued operation of the Ben Nevis Auctions supported by the local farmers and crofters.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no plans to investigate any such business relationships.
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis Historic Scotland decided to designate a bunker in Kinlochleven as a listed building, what are the benefits to the community, what effects it will have on the regeneration of the Kinlochleven economy, and whether de-listing will be considered.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The former carbon works buildings were listed at category B in 1991, at the request of the then Regional Council, because of their historic interest and importance to Scotland's industrial heritage. The lower part of the site was cleared in 1989, but what sur…
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of the proposals or plans of the Kinlochleven Land Development Trust it supports and which it opposes, and what impact the plans will have in providing new employment for those who may be made redundant from British Alcan.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: I refer Mr Ewing to my answer to question S1W-5404. The projects being undertaken by the Kinlochleven Land Development Trust (KLDT) are an operational matter for the Trust, the community and for those agencies which are providing financial support for the reg…
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts have been and will be made to attract employment to Kinlochleven.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: When Alcan announced in 1994 that the aluminium smelter at Kinlochleven would close by 2000, the Kinlochleven Working Group was established (subsequently known as the Kinlochleven Implementation Team). The group comprised all the relevant agencies and the com…
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effects national parks are expected to have on social and economic conditions of residents within park boundaries and whether any measures are in place to ensure that any effects of such designation are not detrimental to the social and economic conditions of the residents.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: One of the aims of National Parks will be to promote economic and social development. They will be expected to integrate rural development with the proper protection of the natural and cultural heritage. Contributions by local residents to the National Park A…
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend to all tenant farmers within the crofting counties the rights available to crofters under (a) the present crofting legislation and (b) crofting legislation under consideration.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No. As I announced in reply to Mike Watson on 19 November, I have closely examined the pros and cons of various proposals for tenant farmer right to buy and came to the conclusion that none are the right way forward.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Specifically, I am not p…
16 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is for the grey and common seal population (a) over each of the last 30 years and (b) each of the next 30 years.
Answer · John Home Robertson: The estimates of grey seal populations in Scottish waters from 1984-98 shown in the table below are based on annual surveys of breeding colonies in the Outer Hebrides, Inner Hebrides, Orkney, the Isle of May and two English sites. The Scottish population figu…
14 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties are available for let as holiday homes on a commercial basis, for 140 days or more per year, in each local authority area.
Answer · Henry McLeish: This information is not held centrally.
14 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times were for (a) a first appointment and (b) treatment within each specialty at Glasgow and Dundee Dental Hospitals in each of the last three years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The median waiting time for a new outpatient consultation by specialty in the two dental hospitals is shown in the table below. Information on first appointment waiting times and individual specialty waiting times is not collected separately.<TABLE BORDER CEL…
14 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any studies have been carried out as to the effect on local traders of bus corridors.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive recently commissioned a research project entitled <I>A Comparative Evaluation of Greenways and Conventional Bus Lanes</I>. This research focuses on bus corridors in Edinburgh and includes a section on Business Frontage Interviews. The p…
7 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government and the Bank of England regarding the impact on the tourist industry in Scotland of (a) Her Majesty's Government's macro-economic policies and (b) the Bank of England's policies on the value of the pound sterling against (i)…
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive liaises closely with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including economic conditions in Scotland.
7 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider holding public debates on the model of the recent "Business in the Chamber" event on topics such as health, education, older people and social and economic development in the Highlands and Islands, whether it will ensure that the participants in such debates are f…
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive already has a range of consultative mechanisms in place but is willing to consider suitable mechanisms by which consultation processes can be supplemented or improved to generate the widest debate possible, involving a cross-section of intereste…
6 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the letter written by its Chief Agricultural Officer to administrators of the Crofters Building Grants and Loan Scheme as referred to in The Herald of Wednesday 1 March 2000, whether there will be any job redund…
Answer · Ross Finnie: I am arranging for a copy of the Chief Agricultural Officer's letter to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Efficiency savings in administering the Crofters Etc. Building Grants and Loan Scheme (CBGLS) mean that workload…
6 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the levels of financial assistance available to crofters for house improvements under the Crofters Building Grants and Loan Scheme.
Answer · Ross Finnie: In the course of the current spending review I will examine all aspects of Rural Affairs Department expenditure including the Crofters Etc. Building Grants and Loan Scheme.
6 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction in financial support under the Crofters Building Grants and Loan Scheme will have upon levels of population in the Western Isles and in each of the crofting counties.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There has been no reduction in financial support under the Crofters Etc. Building Grants and Loans Scheme. The changes to the scheme which I made recently will widen access to assistance and therefore make it possible for more people in crofting areas to prov…
6 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total amount of public funding is currently spent annually on education courses for prospective teachers of Gaelic.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: There are currently a total of 35 Gaelic-speaking students on Initial Teacher Training courses. Of these, 14, including nine post-graduate students, graduate this year. This represents a cost of approximately £290,000.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">In addition, in 1999 t…
3 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to promote the Edinburgh Marathon as an international event to rank alongside events such as the London, New York and Chicago marathons; what the value was of the 1999 Edinburgh Marathon to tourism; what the projected value to tourism is of the event in 2000, 2…
Answer · Sam Galbraith: <B><FONT FACE="Arial">sport</B>scotland has contributed to staging the event in 1999-2001 with an award of £100,000 from its Lottery Sports Fund Major Events Programme to support its organisation and promotion. Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board promotes th…