Parliamentary questions
Jim Mather
709 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the difference is between the cost of applying for a Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme visa from within the United Kingdom and applying from outside the United Kingdom and what the reasons are for any difference.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The application fee for leaveto remain under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme when applying fromwithin the UK is set by the Home Office. The fee is £335 for applicationsby post and £500 when applying in person at one of the Public Enquiry Offices.…
30 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what input it had into the decision on fee levels for visas for the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has beenworking closely with the Home Office on the development of the scheme. However,issues regarding the administrative charges for the processing of application area matter for the Home Office and UK Visas. The fees for the Fresh Ta…
30 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the potential saving of circa1.5 million per annum that it is suggested would be achieved fromoff-shoring would be retained by Caledonian MacBrayne to provide increased services or clawed back by the Executive.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Caledonian MacBrayne has not yet decided whether it intends topursue offshore crewing arrangements. If it does, I will consider the issue of theuse of the savings taking into account the pressures faced by the company and thosearising elsewhere across the tra…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme to include students at universities overseas taking courses conducted in partnership with Scottish universities.
Answer · Tom McCabe: It is an important element of the scheme that applicants under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme should have lived in Scotland for an appropriate period of time before they can apply. Students whose course of study is undertaken exclusively outside…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to encourage those taking part in the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme to remain in Scotland following the expiration of the initial two-year visa.
Answer · Tom McCabe: As part of the evaluation of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme we will aim to keep in touch with applicants via the Relocation Advisory Service and provide assistance and support where necessary.</p> <p>It is open to participants in the scheme to s…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will make available to migrants under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme who wish to apply for more permanent visa status.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Expert advice and assistance on UK immigration matters is available from the Relocation Advisory Service to anyone, including applicants to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme, seeking to live and work in Scotland. However, decisions on individual ap…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific targets it has in respect of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme for the (a) number of applications, (b) number of successful applications and (c) uptake of successful applications.
Answer · Tom McCabe: We do not intend to set specific numerical targets for the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme at this early stage. We have promoted the scheme widely, but it will be a matter for individual students, depending on their personal circumstances, on whether…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the eligibility criteria for the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme do not include post-graduate diplomas.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Initial focus and priority has been on the successful launch of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme. Initially eligibility for the scheme will be restricted to students who graduate with an HND, first degree, Masters or PhD from a Scottish University…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it definesan appropriate period in the statement thatto be granted leave under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme you must.have lived in Scotland for an appropriate period, as set out in the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland eligibility criteria.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Home Office will administer the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme.</p> <p>Under the scheme the suitability of the period of time spent living in Scotland will be assessed by the immigration caseworker or entry clearance officer on the facts of each…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that Fresh Talent scheme visa holders remain in Scotland for the two-year period specified in the scheme and do not relocate to other parts of the United Kingdom.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme aims to attract international students to study, live and work in Scotland, but there will be no question of border controls. Scotland has much to offer and we are confident that applicants will remain and live and…
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often it will provide information and statistics on applicants to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme and what the status is of the applications.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the memberto the answer given to S2W-17513 answered on 25 July 2005.</p>
21 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the first set of figures on applications to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme and what data it will make available.
Answer · Tom McCabe: We are working closely with theHome Office regarding the administration of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme,including the arrangement for the publication of information on applicants to thescheme.</p><p> We will inform parliament ofour intentions,…
17 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many food retail premises there were in Scotland in (a) 1980 and (b) 2004.
Answer · Allan Wilson: (a) The number of food retail premises in 1980 is not held centrally.</p> <p>(b) The number of food retail premises in 2004 was 6,830.</p><p>Source: Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) which is produced by the Office for National Statistics.</p><p>Not…
16 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total outstanding commitment of (a) it, (b) local authorities and (c) non-departmental public bodies is to annual payments under PFI and PPP schemes in each year from 2005-06 to 2019-20.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The following table shows estimatedpayments under PPP contracts in operational and signed deals by the ScottishExecutive, local authorities and non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) in eachyear from 2005-06 to 2019-20:</p><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpad…
15 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-16268 and S2W-16451 by Mr Tom McCabe on 11 and 26 May 2005, whether it was aware of a specific launch date for The Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme on 11 and 26 May; if it was aware, why the information was not provided at these times, and …
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Home Office and the Scottish Executive have been working closely together in recent months to ensure that thescheme would come into effect by the original target of summer 2005. On 24 May,the Home Office agreed that we could commit to introducing the sche…
9 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatalities have occurred as a result of road traffic accidents between Tarbet and Ardlui on the A82 in each year since 1999.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The number of fatalities that have occurred as a result of road accidents on the A82 between Tarbet and Ardlui in each year since 1999 (from January 1999 to December 2004), is as follows:</p> <p>A82 Tarbet to Ardlui</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpaddin…
9 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many road traffic accidents have occurred between Tarbet and Ardlui on the A82 in each year since 1999.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The number of road accidents that have occurred on the A82 between Tarbet and Ardlui in each year since 1999 (from January 1999 to December 2004), broken down by level of severity is as follows:</p> <p>A82 Tarbet to Ardlui</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cel…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of the statistical data that is published by the Office for National Statistics but compiled from data produced entirely by the Executive or its agencies.
Answer · Tom McCabe: No official statistics published by ONS are compiled entirely from data produced by the Executive or its agencies.</p>
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to develop an independent statistics agency for Scotland.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive has no plans to develop an independent statistics agency for Scotland. The National Statistics Code of Practice guarantees that the Executive’s statistics methods, definitions and release practices are free from political involvement.</p>
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of the statistical data it produces are directly comparable with figures produced by (a) the Office for National Statistics, (b) the UK Government, (c) the National Assembly for Wales or (d) Eurostat, broken down by (i) type of data and (ii) comparable organisation.
Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not routinely recorded.</p> <p>The information which is available is shown in the following four tables.</p><p>Four tables containing information produced by the Scottish Executive and the General Register Office for Scotland which is know…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of the statistical data that it produces on behalf of, or submits to, (a) Eurostat and (b) the Office for National Statistics.
Answer · Tom McCabe: No statistical data is produced by the Scottish Executive solely on behalf of Eurostat or the Office for National Statistics.</p> <p>Table 1 provides a list of statistical data that the Scottish Executive and General Register Office for Scotland submits direc…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of the statistical data that it produces (a) in accordance and (b) not in accordance with Eurostat principles, as set out by Council Regulation (EC) No. 322/97 on Community Statistics, broken down by department.
Answer · Tom McCabe: All of the Scottish Executive's statistical outputs are produced in accordance with the Eurostat principles set out by Council Regulation (EC) No. 322/97 of 17 February 1997. Scottish Executive statistics which are produced under the “National Statistics” lab…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what data provided by the Office for National Statistics, or derived from information provided by the Office for National Statistics, the Executive uses for its own statistical purposes.
Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 36819).</p> <p>Table 2: Information which is provided by the Office for National Statistics, which the Scottish Executive and General Register Office for Scotland, rece…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what external agencies collect or provide statistical data to it, broken down by agency and information provided.
Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, (Bib. numbers 36818, 36819).</p> <p>Bib. number 36818 contains:</p><p>Table 1: External agencies which provide statistical data to the Scottish Executive and General Register Offic…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statistical (a) data it collects about Scotland and (b) analyses it conducts, broken down by department.
Answer · Tom McCabe: All official statistics collected and analysed by the Scottish Executive are available from, or referred to, in the Statistics pages of the Scottish Executive website at:</p> <p><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics">http://www.scotland.gov.uk…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the responsibilities in respect of the collection of statistical data about Scotland are (a) reserved or (b) devolved matters.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The extent to which responsibilities in respect of the collection of statistical data about Scotland are (a) reserved or (b) devolved matters, mainly follows the pattern of devolved responsibilities.</p> <p>The following table shows to what extent responsibil…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many awards have been made, and of what value, in respect of the (a) Small Company Innovation Support, (b) R & D Plus, (c) R & D Tax Credits, (d) EC Framework 6, (e) SMART: SCOTLAND, (f) SPUR, (g) SPURplus, (h) SCORE and (i) SEEKIT programmes, broken down by year in which each program…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information which my Department holds is contained in the following tables. The Scottish Executive does not hold information on R&D Tax Credits and EC Framework 6 as the responsibility for these programmes rests respectively with HM Revenue and Custom…
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of private sector jobs are in micro businesses and what percentage of (a) absolute GDP and (b) private sector output is contributed by such businesses.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The percentage of private sector jobs in Scotland that are micro businesses (zero to nine employees) is 20%. Comparable figures for GDP and output are not available.</p>
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what value of land and buildings in Scotland is owned by (a) individuals, businesses and organisations, including government, that are resident and/or registered in Scotland and (b) individuals, businesses and organisations that are resident and/or registered outwith Scotland.
Answer · Johann Lamont: This information is not availablecentrally.</p>
8 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it the impact will be on the availability of affordable housing when changes in the rules that allow self-invested pensions to invest in residential property come into force.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17187 on 20 June 2005. 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/webapp/w…