Parliamentary questions
John Swinney
262 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
10 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when orders will be published to upgrade the Ballinluig junction on the A9.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I expect the draft orders to be published in spring 2005.</p>
10 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on upgrading the Ballinluig junction on the A9 since designs for the project were published on 11 April 2002.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: A new consultancy appointment was made in October 2003 to take forward the detailed design of the scheme. Following this a topographical survey has been completed. Work on an environmental assessment is currently on-going.</p>
10 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the designs published on 11 April 2002 for the upgrade of the Ballinluig junction on the A9 have been subject to any review or have been revised.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-12126 answered on 24 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p><p<a href="http://www.scotti…
10 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the designs published on 11 April 2002 for the upgrade of the Ballinluig junction on the A9 remain those to be used for this work.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The scheme design is currently under detailed development. However, subject to some minor changes I expect the final layout to be very close to that previously exhibited.</p>
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the Master Policy for Professional Indemnity insurance of the Law Society of Scotland protects the interests of consumers.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Master Policy protectsthe interests of consumers by providing professional indemnity insurance for Scottishsolicitors against claims of negligence and claims arising out of any allegeddishonest, fraudulent, criminal or malicious act or omission.</p><p>Som…
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the membership of its Working Group for Research into the Legal Services markets in Scotland includes sufficient consumer interest representation.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer to S2W-11848, on 16 November 2004. 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/wa.se…
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the membership of its Working Group for Research into the Legal Services markets in Scotland includes sufficient representation of lay opinion.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Yes. Membership includes representatives from the Scottish Consumer Council, Citizens Advice Scotland, the Office of Fair Trading, and the legal professional bodies, as well as academic researchers and representatives of the Scottish Executive. Membership of …
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it would take if an individual who holds a judicial appointment as a sheriff was found, as a result of an investigation by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman, to have breached section 8 of the Code of Conduct for Solicitors.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There is no such case beforeministers at present. If allegations of misconduct were to arise I wouldconsider the facts of the case before deciding whether to order any form ofinvestigation into fitness for office.</p>
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to instruct the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal (SSDT) to make available the transcribed notes of the proceedings of a hearing by the SSDT if requested to by a party with an interest in the case.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The SSDT is an independentstatutory body whose constitution, procedure and powers are set out in schedule4 to the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980. As an independent body, the tribunal isresponsible for its own proceedings and Scottish Ministers have no powers …
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to establish a new station at Ballinluig on the Perth to Inverness rail line.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Proposals to re-open stationsare best promoted, in the first instance, by the relevant local authority or regionaltransport partnership. The Scottish Executive is unaware of any proposal to open a new station at Ballinluig.</p>
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-3056 by Nicol Stephen on 8 September 2004 (Official Report, c 10055-10056), what steps have been taken to commence work on the upgrading of the A9 junction at Ballinluig.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answerto S2W-11393 answered on 26 November 2004 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish/">http://www.scottish…
20 Oct 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to revise the eligibility criteria for the education maintenance allowance (EMA).
Answer · Allan Wilson: We have received a number of representations on this issue and have carefully considered the arguments for and against extending eligibility. </p><p>The purpose of the EMA programme is to provide an incentive to young people when they reach their official sch…
15 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to revise the boundaries of the Cairngorms National Park.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There are no plans to revise the boundaries of the Cairngorms National Park. The Parliament approved the boundaries of the park on 12 December 2002. The area as designated has a strong coherent identity and a distinctive character. At some 3,800 sq kms, the p…
14 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what distinctive duties will be carried out by the Minister for Finance and Public Services and the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport in respect of their responsibilities for external affairs.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform is responsible for external relations including the co-ordination of European Union policy and relationships with the institutions, member states and regions of the European Union. In particular he will be re…
14 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which minister has responsibility for European and external affairs following the reshuffle of ministerial responsibilities on 5 October 2004.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-11442, on 24 January 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…
14 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning will reply to my letter of 13 July 2004 regarding the rules concerning payment of the educational maintenance allowance.
Answer · Jim Wallace: As you are aware we receiveda number of representations on this issue and I asked my officials to look againat the eligibility criteria set out for the national rollout of the EMA programme.</p><p>Holding replies were sent tooutstanding Educational Maintenanc…
28 Sep 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Members’ Business debate on 23 September 2004, what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the future of the Scottish regiments.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom on a wide range of issues including Scottish Regiments. Discussions between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government are conducted on a confidential basis.</p>
27 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will treat existing hydro-electric generating schemes in relation to its renewable energy targets.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Generation from existing hydro-electricschemes is classified as renewable, and therefore included as such when calculatingrenewable electricity output in Scotland.</p>
2 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has received representations from the Office of Fair Trading since 1999 regarding (a) the contents and effectiveness of the Master Insurance Policy of the Law Society of Scotland and (b) the provision of legal services in Scotland and, if it has received such repr…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We have received no representations from the Office of Fair Trading on the contents and effectiveness of the Master Insurance Policy of the Law Society of Scotland.</p><p>As regards the provision of legal services, the Office of Fair Trading published a repor…
11 Feb 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is regarding the review of cardiothoracic transplants and when it intends to publish any response to the recommendations of the review.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The work of the group set upto review the Scottish Heart Transplant Unit will be considered by the NationalServices Advisory Group when it meets in the spring, and will then be referredto me. The over-riding consideration is to provide the service which best …
14 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will state the (a) person responsible for payment of non-domestic rates, (b) total cost to the public body of non-domestic rates paid by it for the project over the project's life to date, (c) cost to the public body of paying non-domestic rates in each of the last three finan…
Answer · Andy Kerr: Rates are not payable on the M6 DBFO and Skye Bridge. The information requested in respect of the other projects is not held centrally and could only be gathered at disproportionate cost.
22 Jan 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many separate pieces of information for motorists are displayed within a quarter mile radius of the Ballinluig junction of the A9, and of these, how many would be removed if a grade-separated junction was in place at this location.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There is a combined total of 116 signs on the A9 and A827 within a quarter mile radius of the Ballinluig junction. Of the 49 signs that would not be required if the junction were to be grade-separated, 40 are on the A9. However, there could be a requirement f…
5 Nov 2001 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what issues were discussed at the last meeting of the Cabinet.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Cabinet met on 6 November when it discussed issues of importance to the people of Scotland.
28 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of hospital acquired infection have been recorded in each year since 1997 at (a) Ninewells Hospital, (b) Perth Royal Infirmary and (c) Stracathro Hospital.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not available centrally.
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many working meetings have been held between Scottish Executive ministers and members of the European Commission since 1 July 1999, specifying the date and subject of each of these meetings and the names of the ministers and commissioners present at each.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The information requested is set out in the table.<P>Meetings between Scottish Executive Ministers and EU Commissioners<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=498><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=3><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">1 July 1999 -…
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Joint Ministerial Committee meetings regarding European Union issues have been held since 1 July 1999.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Joint Ministerial Committee on Europe met for the first time on 1 March 2001.
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many technical committees and working parties of the EU Council of Ministers it has been informed about in advance by departments of Her Majesty's Government since 1 July 1999.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Under the arrangements set out in the EU Concordat the Executive is informed by UK Government Departments of all technical committee and working party meetings in which it has an interest.
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings of technical committees and working parties of the EU Council of Ministers it has been informed about in advance by UKREP since 1 July 1999.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-13373.
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times Scottish Executive officials have attended technical committees and working parties of the EU Council of Ministers as the lead UK officials since 1 July 1999.
Answer · Jack McConnell: This information is not recorded by the Executive in the working records of such meetings and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many technical committees and working parties of the EU Council of Ministers have been attended by Scottish Executive officials since 1 July 1999, specifying the date and subject of each of these meetings.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The information requested is set out in the table. No distinction is made in our records between "working groups", "technical committees" and "working parties": all are classed as working groups.<FONT FACE="Arial"><P>Attendance A…