Mr Keith Harding

14 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding allocations have been made to each local authority to create Safer Routes to Schools in each year since 1997.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Allocations of £5.2 million for Safer Routes to School (SRTS) were provided for the financial year 2000-01. Subsequent allocations have been made for wider cycling, walking and safer streets (CWSS) projects which can include work on safer routes to school. De…

1 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the full costs were of printing, publishing and distributing Community Budgeting: responses to a consultation on local services and community engagement, October 2002.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The publication and printing costs of <I>Community Budgeting: responses to a consultation on local services and community engagement, October 2002</I> currently stand at £378.99. In addition the costs of distribution currently stand at £34.76.

31 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current legal maximum expenditure is for local authority election candidates; whether it will increase the maximum ahead of the May 2003 local elections, and whether any difference exists between the maximum permitted levels in Scotland and those in England and Wales.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The maximum amount of a candidate's election expenses at local government elections is £219 plus 4.3p per voter. I am considering whether to make an order increasing this maximum before the local elections in May 2003.<P>The maximum permitted levels in Englan…

30 Oct 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what the costs were of printing, publishing and distributing the Scottish Parliament Annual Report 2001 to 2002.

Answer · David Steel: The total cost of publishing and printing the English version of the <I>Scottish Parliament Annual Report 2001 to 2002 </I>was £19,226. This represents a significant saving of £11,600 over last year's costs, achieved by retaining the same design format and la…

9 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the full costs were of printing, publishing and distributing its Closing the Opportunity Gap: Scottish Budget for 2003-06.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The publication and printing of <I>Closing the Opportunity Gap: Scottish Budget for 2003-06</I> has to date cost £1,078.33. In addition the costs of distribution currently stand at £317.

3 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to relax the restrictions in section 59 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that bar persons under the age of 21 years from being co-opted on to local authority committees.

Answer · Peter Peacock: We do not believe that this legislation prevents people under the age of 21 being co-opted to council committees and therefore we have no plans to amend it.

20 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money was spent on publishing, printing and distributing its Scottish Rural Partnership Fund information and application pack.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The 2003-04 round of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund (SRPF) was launched on Friday 30 August 2002. Some 2,200 application packs were produced to meet the perceived demand of those wishing to apply to the fund.<P>A total figure of £8,391 was spent on the d…

20 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money was spent on publishing, printing and distributing its publication, Public report on the first year of the new trunk road operating companies 2001/2002.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The <I>Public report on the first year of the new trunk road operating companies 2001/2002</I> was published by the independent Performance Audit Group (Halcrow in association with PricewaterhouseCoopers) in line with the recommendations of the Auditor Genera…

19 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available or being provided to people being made redundant following the announcement that the Alcan plant at Burntisland, Fife, is to close.

Answer · Iain Gray: Following the announcement of the proposed closure of Alcan's Burntisland facility, Scottish Development International officials have had on-going meetings with both local and corporate management to minimise the impact of any such action. The 90-day consulta…

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to upgrade the A8000 link between the M9 and the M90 motorways to dual carriageway.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The A8000 is a local road and is therefore the responsibility of the City of Edinburgh Council, as the relevant roads authority. The council and the Forth Estuary Transport Authority are jointly taking forward plans to construct the M9 Spur Extension/A90 Upgr…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking on the location and regulation of marine developments and what plans it has to carry out a review of developments in coastal and marine waters, similar to that being conducted by the Department of Transport in England and Wales.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring the sustainable use of marine resources and to improving the regulatory regime in the marine and coastal area by simplifying administrative arrangements. A number of initiatives in this field have already been u…

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to adopt similar proposals to those made in the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions' planning Green Paper, Planning: Delivering a Fundamental Change.

Answer · Margaret Curran: In Scotland the Executive's work to modernise the planning system has already made progress on a number of issues included in the English Planning Green Paper. Much of what is proposed will be delivered in Scotland through the outcomes of the <I>Review of Str…

12 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26873 by Malcolm Chisholm on 9 July 2002, what action it will take to address the increases in median waiting times for an appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has made tackling the longest waits for out-patient appointments a key priority for the National Waiting Times Unit. The unit has made £1.2 million available to NHS boards to fund projects specifically to address long waits for orthopae…

12 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce any additional charges for the collection of domestic waste.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no plans to introduce a separate charge for the collection of domestic waste. To achieve the objectives of the National Waste Strategy for sustainable waste management there will be a need for significant changes in householders' at…

12 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to alter legislation and regulations on commercial cockle harvesting.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I have no plans to amend any of the legislative provisions relating to the harvesting of cockles.

12 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how legislation and regulations on commercial and cockle harvesting differ from equivalent legislation and regulations in England.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are a number of legislative provisions directly and indirectly related to the harvesting of cockles (including fishing, food and environmental legislation). In terms of fisheries legislation:<UL><P><LI>In Scotland, orders may be made under the Inshore F…

12 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers and responsibilities local authorities and other agencies have in respect of commercial cockle harvesting.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Local authorities do not have any powers specifically to regulate cockle fishing. They do, however, have various specific powers on related matters such as food hygiene, as well as general powers, which may be appropriate depending on the circumstances.

10 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make the provision of an archaeological sites and monuments record service a statutory requirement for local authorities.

Answer · Elaine Murray: The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to bring forward proposals to make the provision of an archaeological sites and monuments record a statutory requirement for local authorities.

5 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received, or discussions it has held, concerning the decision by the Church of Scotland to close its care home at Leslie House in Fife.

Answer · Frank McAveety: We have received six such representations. We held no discussions with the Church of Scotland regarding the future of Leslie House; this is a local matter, to be resolved between the church and the relevant commissioners of care and with the future well-being…

5 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider giving local authorities the right to decide whether council by-elections should be held by postal ballot only.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There are no current plans to give local authorities the right to decide whether council by-elections should be held by postal ballot only. The Scottish Local Government (Elections) Act 2002 allows ministers to extend successful pilots throughout Scotland by …

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how Communities Scotland's regional and area committees determine allocations and how much each local authority area has received from them in each year since 1999.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Mr Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Communities Scotland's programme allocations reflect ministerial priorities and link the national distribution of resources to area teams, based upon…

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any financial resources allocated to the Fife Housing Regeneration Initiative that were unspent on 31 March 2002 have been allowed to be carried forward into the current financial year.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27144.

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Fife Housing Regeneration Initiative has achieved since its formation in 1997 and how much it has spent in each financial year.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Six million pounds of New Housing Partnership (NHP) funding was earmarked in 1999 for Fife Council's housing regeneration projects in Abbeyview, Lochgelly, Dysart and Buckhaven and Methil. £104,580 NHP grant was paid in 1999-2000 and £433,331 in 2001-02. Thes…

27 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will give a decision on the independent tenanted market valuation submitted by Fife Council.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Fife Council and the Executive are currently considering a number of issues with the independent valuer, relating to the initial valuation of the council's housing stock in Abbeyview, Lochgelly, Dysart, and Buckhaven and Methil. It is hoped that valuation mig…

18 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time for an appointment to see an orthopaedic surgeon in each NHS board area (a) is currently and (b) was in each of the last three years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with an orthopaedic consultant, following referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS board of residence, for the years ending 31 March 1999, 2000 and 2001, and the nine months to 31 December…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Fife Structure Plan will be approved.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The assessment of the Fife Structure Plan is nearing completion and we hope to announce a decision shortly.

12 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the full costs were of printing and distributing its consultation document Implementing the Adoption (Intercountry Aspects) Act 1999 draft regulations and guidance for Scotland.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The publication and printing of the consultation document <I>Implementing the Adoption (Intercountry Aspects) Act 1999 draft regulations and guidance for Scotland </I>has to date cost a total of £857. The breakdown is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CE…

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the full costs have been of publishing, printing and distributing each edition to date of its Active Communities newsletter and how many copies of each edition have been printed.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The cost of publishing, printing and distributing each edition of the <I>Active Communities</I> newsletter is as follows. However, only estimated costs can be provided on the latest newsletter, as final invoices are yet to be received. Moreover, over 16,000 c…

23 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the full costs were of publishing, printing and distributing its Report by the Ministerial Advisory Group on Gaelic: A Fresh Start for Gaelic.

Answer · Mike Watson: The cost of the graphic design and printing of the group's report was £16,133. The distribution cost to date is £500.

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of its Pathfinders to the Parliament Progress Report have been published and circulated, and how much it cost to publish, print and circulate the document.

Answer · Iain Gray: The total publication costs (including circulation) of the <I>Pathfinders to the Parliament Progress Report</I> were just under £3,000. This figure is based on 1,000 copies of the report.