Parliamentary questions
Fergus Ewing
2,894 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the system of house purchase and sale in Scotland and, if so, in what respects and with what objectives.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The housing Green Paper noted that the Scottish system of house purchase has a number of strengths, but recognised concerns that the system can lead to multiple surveys and valuations being commissioned on the same property with considerable abortive costs fo…
12 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the structure of the Scottish Tourist Board with a view to increasing the emphasis on the marketing of Scotland.
Answer · Henry McLeish: We have no plans to do so. A Policy and Financial Management Review of the STB undertaken in 1998 found that all of the Board's current functions are necessary. These functions can be summarised as consumer and trade marketing, the development of the Area Tou…
5 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the estimated annual running cost of the Office of the Accountant in Bankruptcy in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-2001 and (c) 2001-2002.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The current estimates are given below. These include the cost of payments to Trustees and Agents, offset by income from cases dealt with by the Office of the Accountant in Bankruptcy.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=1><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CE…
5 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 in so far as it relates to matters within its responsibility.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no plans to review the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 in so far as it relates to devolved matters.
5 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the estimated cost of upgrading the remaining single track sections of the road between Fort William and Mallaig.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The estimated cost of upgrading the section of road through Arisaig to Kinsadel is £9.93m and for improving the road between Arisaig and Loch Nan Uamh is £9.2m, in each case exclusive of VAT.
2 Jul 1999 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer when arrangements for MSPs to have use of pre-postage-paid envelopes for constituency business will be finalised.
Answer · David Steel: The SPCB are to be invited to consider at their next meeting the arrangements surrounding the issue of pre-postage paid envelopes to MSPs for constituency business. A paper will be tabled at that meeting, scheduled for 6 August, which will outline the option…
2 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the Scottish schools which employ a sports co-ordinator employ this person for (a) one (b) two (c) three (d) four and (e) five days per week.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Awards from the Lottery Sports Fund are matched by local authorities and fund the employment of a co-ordinator for one day per week. The pilot programme has highlighted that this arrangement has been very successful. Local authorities or schools are, however,…
2 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish schools have a sports co-ordinator and how many do not.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I announced on 7 June the first tranche of Lottery Sports Fund awards to five local authorities for the appointment of co-ordinators in 87 secondary schools. The announcement followed a highly successful pilot programme and the intention is to have a co-ordi…
2 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted by Her Majesty's Government about the appointment of a new National Governor for Scotland of the BBC and, if so, whether its response referred to candidates' acknowledged political affiliations as a reason to (a) prefer or (b) reject them.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Scottish Ministers have been consulted about the appointment of the BBC Scottish Governor. The political activities of candidates are declared during the appointments process. The criterion for recommending candidates is their suitability for the particular…
2 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding exempting senior citi'ens in Scotland from payment of the television licence fee.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: No.
2 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty's Government about the impact of the Financial Services and Markets Bill on Scottish Friendly Societies, in particular the Braemar Royal Highland Society and the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, and, if so, whether these repre…
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Financial Services and Markets Bill will set clear statutory objectives for the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The Bill imposes on the FSA a duty to ensure that the level of fees which it sets are efficient and economical and that the burdens it imp…
1 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the location of the nearest NHS Dexa scanner to residents within the Highland Council area and whether it will provide additional funding to enable a Dexa scanner and the appropriate associated staffing to be provided at Raigmore Hospital.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The nearest NHS Dexa Scanner to residents of the Highland Council area is located at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. There are 5 NHS Dexa Scanners in Scotland, 2 of which are in Aberdeen. The range and type of health services made available in any area are most ap…
1 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive the rate of interest at which it can secure borrowings from the Secretary of State and whether such borrowings can be used for investment in public service projects.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Ministers may borrow from the Secretary of State only to meet a temporary excess of sums paid out of the Scottish Consolidated Fund over sums paid into that Fund, or to provide a working balance in the Fund. The interest charged by Treasury will…
1 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to state the number of new build and renovated properties which will be affected by the Housing (Right to Buy)(Cost Floor)(Scotland) Order (S.I. 1999/611).
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The number of properties affected will depend on both the timing of decisions by individual tenants to buy their home, and the level and timing of investment in the specific property. As a result, no estimate of the number of affected properties has been mad…
30 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding reform of the housing benefit system in Scotland and, if so, what these representations will be.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: A number of options are being considered by Her Majesty's Government for improvements to the way in which Housing Benefit is provided. We will continue to liaise closely with the relevant Whitehall departments to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into…
30 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to honour the memory of Thomas Muir.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: While we have no specific plans for this purpose we recognise the significance of Thomas Muir in Scottish history, particularly in this the bicentenary year of his death.
30 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it has sought and what response it has received from Lloyds TSB regarding the continued presence of Scottish Widows headquarters in Scotland and the continued employment in Scotland of all Scottish Widows employees.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The First Minister and I met with Scottish Widows to discuss the proposed deal with Lloyds TSB. It is a matter of public record that both Lloyds TSB and Scottish Widows, through their press releases, gave assurances that their combined workforce in Scotland …
30 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it envisages that the proposed bill to abolish the feudal system of land tenure will receive Royal Assent.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I announced on 30 June that the Scottish Law Commission's draft Bill on the Abolition of the Feudal System would form the basis of legislation to be put to Parliament after the summer recess. It is a matter for the Parliament how the Bill should progres…
30 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive will lay regulations before the Scottish Parliament introducing a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship. The terms of the draft regulations are currently subject to UK-wide consultations. Under these proposals, the ban on tobacco…
30 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to seek evidence from other countries as to the effect which bans on tobacco advertising and sponsorship have on tobacco consumption.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has carefully considered the evidence which exists from other countries on the effect of bans on tobacco advertising and sponsorship on tobacco consumption. Such evidence was assessed in the 1992 Department of Health (Economic and Oper…
30 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make available copies of any correspondence it has had with the Chairman of the North of Scotland Water Authority regarding the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC).
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has not had any correspondence with the Chairman of the North of Scotland Water Authority regarding the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
30 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to seek information from Her Majesty's Government about any correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and the Chairman of the North of Scotland Water Authority regarding the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) and, if so, whether it will make detail…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: We have no plans to seek information about such correspondence.
30 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to British Airways with regard to the restoration of a direct air service between Inverness and London Heathrow and whether it intends to ask Her Majesty's Government and the European Commission to make similar representations.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions have commissioned a study which is looking at the economic impact of the withdrawal of the air service between Inverness and Heathrow. The study is expected t…
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the regulations governing the repayment of student loans taken out by students who started their courses in academic session 1997-98 or earlier (S.I. 1998/211) and in particular whether it intends to allow deferment of repayments to be backdated by more than 3…
Answer · Henry McLeish: We have no immediate plans to do so.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Three months does not seem to be an unreasonable period within which to expect borrowers whose income is below the repayment threshold to seek to defer their liability to repay.<FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetic…
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make available any reports it holds relating to other countries' experiences with road pricing.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Reports on developments in and experiences with road pricing in other countries have appeared from time to time in, for example, academic and professional journals. The Scottish Executive does not hold any such reports which are not already in the public doma…
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide an estimate of the cost of the M8 road charging trial and, if so, whether this will include details of the amount to be spent on (a) labour, (b) consultancy fees and (c) materials/equipment.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The contract for implementing the UK electronic road user charging demonstration project will be the subject of a competitive tendering exercise to be initiated shortly. Subject to the standard rules on commercially confidential information, I would expect, i…
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty's Government with regard to the rate of excise duty applicable to spirits.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of the spirits industry in Scotland and will do all that it can to further the interests of this industry. The Scottish Executive will make appropriate representations at the relevant time to the UK Government …
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide an assessment of the impact on employment in Scotland of the ending of duty free sales within the European Union and whether it intends to seek details of any financial assistance being provided to French companies affected by the abolition of such duty free …
Answer · Henry McLeish: My Department will monitor this matter closely. I am not aware that any financial assistance has been offered to companies by the French government, for the reason suggested, but if Fergus Ewing has any relevant information I would be glad to consider it.
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to assist the Scotch whisky industry.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Recognising the importance of this industry to Scotland, I shall soon be meeting representatives from the Scotch Whisky industry to hear at first hand about their prospects and concerns. I shall be glad to give whatever assistance I can.
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish a rent deposit fund to provide low-income families and individuals with access to loans to pay deposits for privately rented accommodation.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: In its Partnership for Scotland, the Scottish Executive made a commitment to encourage rent deposit schemes. Local authorities already have powers to give rent guarantees or indemnities, or if required payments, to private sector landlords where this is nece…