Iain Gray

25 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which recommendations of the Howat report it has rejected.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8935 on 8 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

25 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which recommendations of the Howat report it has accepted.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8935 on 8 February 2008. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

25 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a response to the Howat report.

Answer · John Swinney: On 24 May 2007, thisgovernment published the Budget Review report, written by an independent externalgroup, as promised in <i>It’s time to lookforwards - the first 100 days of an SNP Government</i>. By then, thereport was over one year old. The report was wri…

15 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to change how low and intermediate-level waste from the civil nuclear industry is dealt with.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has noplans to change how low-level radioactive waste from the civil nuclear industryis managed. We continue to support the UK-wide policy for the Long Term Managementof Solid Low Level Radioactive Waste published in March 2007.</p><p>…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-6067 and S3W-6070 by Jim Mather on 29 November 2007, whether the release of GDP statistics, as referred to by the First Minister on 28 October 2007 at a party political conference but not published until 2 November 2007, contravened the National St…

Answer · John Swinney: The figures referred to by theFirst Minister on 28 October 2007 were the results of official analysis based on NationalStatistics.</p><p>This analysis was prepared objectivelyand transparently by civil servants and provides the government’s best estimatesof S…

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects higher and further education facilities in Scotland to begin to store (a) low, (b) medium and (c) high level radioactive waste on site.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We do not expect higher and furthereducation facilities to store radioactive waste on site. Our policy for the long-termstorage of higher activity radioactive waste applies to the nuclear sector. The vast majority of radioactive waste producedby the education…

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects NHS facilities to begin to store (a) low, (b) medium and (c) high-level radioactive waste on site.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We do not expect NHS facilitiesto store radioactive waste on site. Our policy for the long-term storage of higheractivity radioactive waste applies to the nuclear sector. The vast majority of radioactive waste producedby the NHS is disposed of through commerc…

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects Torness power station to begin to store (a) low, (b) medium and (c) high level radioactive waste on site.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Existing disposal routes areavailable at present for low-level waste and we would expect British Energy to utilisethese. The requirement for storing intermediate level waste on site is a long standingone which pre-dates the Scottish Government’s decision that…

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects Hunterston B power station to begin to store (a) low, (b) medium and (c) high level radioactive waste on site.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Existing disposal routes areavailable at present for low-level waste and we would expect British Energy to utilisethese. The requirement for storing intermediate level waste on site is a long standingone which pre-dates the Scottish Government’s decision that…

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the higher and further education sector with a view to implementation of the policy of onsite surface storage of radioactive waste.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The vast majorityof radioactive waste produced by hospitals is low level and is disposed of. Forthis reason NHS Scotland has not been asked to consider implementing a policy ofonsite storage of radioactive waste.</p>

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given by NHS Scotland to the implementation of the policy of onsite surface storage of radioactive waste.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The vast majorityof radioactive waste produced by hospitals is low level and is disposed of. Forthis reason NHS Scotland has not been asked to consider implementing a policy ofonsite storage of radioactive waste.</p>

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with British Energy regarding the implementation of the policy of onsite surface storage of radioactive waste.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government officialsmet with representatives from British Energy – at their request – on 16 November, 2007 todiscuss the implementation of the policy for the long term storage of higher activitywaste in near surface, near site facilities. British Ene…

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to implement the policy of onsite surface storage of radioactive waste.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government’s policyfor higher activity waste in Scotland was announced and took effect on 25 June 2007 and supportslong-term near surface, near site storage facilities. We have been working on theimplementation of this policy in conjunction with …

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when current contracts for the storage of radioactive waste and reprocessing of spent fuel from Hunterston B and Torness power stations will end.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The issue of radioactive wasteand spent fuel contracts for Hunterston B and Torness is a commercial matter forBritish Energy.</p>

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any guidance to civil servants on the publication and presentation of ad hoc official statistics.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-6068 on 29 November 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, thesearch facility for which can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any guidance to civil servants on the publication and presentation of official statistics.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-6067 on 29 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any guidance to civil servants on the use of ad hoc official statistics for party political purposes.

Answer · Jim Mather: There are noplans to produce ad hoc official statistics nor has this happened in the past. Officialstatistical publications are produced according to the Code of Practice forNational Statistics as far as possible, and ad hoc statistics are produced accordingt…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any guidance to civil servants on the use of official statistics for party political purposes.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-6067 on 29 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any guidance to civil servants on the publication of ad hoc statistics.

Answer · Jim Mather: Guidance on allNational Statistics and Official Statistics publications is contained in the <i>Codeof Practice for National Statistics</i>, which is published at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about_ns/cop/default.asp">http://www.statistics.gov.u…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its code of practice for the publication of official statistics.

Answer · Jim Mather: Currently mostofficial statistics publications produced by the Scottish Government areclassed as National Statistics and are produced according to the NationalStatistics Code of Practice. Even those official statistics publications whichdo not meet all the Na…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth is taking to fulfil his responsibilities under the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

Answer · Jim Mather: As minister responsiblefor general statistics issues I can inform you that officials of the ScottishGovernment have been working with the other devolved governments, the UKGovernment and the chair designate of the Statistics Board to prepare for themany chang…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis was for the calculation that created the GDP figures quoted by the First Minister on 28 October 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: On 28 October 2007, the First Minister referred to economic analysisproduced by civil servants. Analysis on Scotland’s income per capita, withvarying methods of accounting for North Sea output, was placed in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre on 2 Nove…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the “ongoing government work” is for which the GDP figures that the First Minister quoted on 28 October 2007 were created.

Answer · John Swinney: The analysis onScotland’s income per capita, with varying methods of accounting for North Seaoutput, which was placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre on 2November 2007, is part of on-going analytical work measuring the economic valueof North Sea…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the GDP figures that the First Minister quoted on 28 October 2007 were derived.

Answer · John Swinney: Analysis onScotland’s income per capita, which was referred to by the First Minister on 28October 2007, was placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre on 2November 2007.</p>

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the source was of the GDP figures that the First Minister quoted on 28 October 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: On 28 October 2007, the First Minister referred to economic analysisproduced by civil servants. Analysis on Scotland’s income per capita, withvarying methods of accounting for North Sea output, was placed in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre on 2 Nove…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what sources the First Minister’s special advisers drew on to compile the table of GDP figures that was distributed to journalists on 28 October 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: Analysis on Scotland’s income per capita, with varying methods of accountingfor North Sea output, was produced by civil servants. Thisanalysis was placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre on 2 November 2007.</p>

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister’s special advisers compiled the table of GDP figures that was distributed to journalists on Sunday 28 October 2007 for party political purposes.

Answer · John Swinney: Civil servants producedanalysis on Scotland’s income per capita, with varying methodsof accounting for North Sea output. This information was referred to bythe First Minister on 28 October 2007.</p><p>The following statementwas made by a Scottish Government s…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether special advisers compiled the table of GDP figures that was distributed to journalists on 28 October 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: Civil servants producedanalysis on Scotland’s income per capita, with varying methodsof accounting for North Sea output. The full analysis, including tablesof GDP per capita figures, was placed in the Scottish Parliament InformationCentre on 2 November 2007.<…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether civil servants compiled the table of GDP figures that was distributed to journalists on 28 October 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: Civil servants producedanalysis on Scotland’s income per capita, with varying methodsof accounting for North Sea output. The full analysis, including tablesof GDP per capita figures, was placed in the Scottish Parliament InformationCentre on 2 November 2007.<…

5 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether briefing on unpublished GDP figures by its special advisers to a Sunday newspaper was for party political purposes.

Answer · John Swinney: On 28 October 2007, the First Minister referred to economic analysis producedby civil servants. The following statement was made by a Scottish Government spokespersonon 29 October 2007 in relation to the information referred toby the First Minister:</p><p>“Th…