Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of proceedings in the case of William Smith v K D Scott, Electoral Registration Officer.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has incurredno legal costs in relation to these proceedings. Information on other costs of theproceedings is not held by the Executive.</p>
29 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Burns suppers it hosted abroad in January 2007; where they were located; who organised them; whether Scottish firms or organisations were invited to attend, and what similar information it has on Burns suppers organised by the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union (UK…
Answer · Tom McCabe: The First Secretary, ScottishAffairs office in Washington organised and hosted a Burns Supper in New York to promoteTartan Week and Scotland generally to key media contacts.</p><p>VisitScotland and Scottish DevelopmentInternational hosted a Burns Supper in Bo…
29 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps were taken to interact and communicate with Scottish communities and societies abroad in respect of Burns Night.
Answer · Tom McCabe: <i>Scotland</i><i>-Now</i>, <a href="http://www.scotland-now.com/">www.scotland-now.com</a>,the e-magazine which is specificallyaimed at those with an affinity for Scotland who live overseas, showcases modern Scotland as a great place to live, work, visit, st…
29 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it took to use Burns Night to promote Scotland abroad.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive promotesinternationally key dates in Scotland’s calendar. Burns Night 2007 was marked bya number of activities that included a direct mailing to international journalists,Global Friends and Global Scots and others through FCO posts. A s…
24 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30909 by Cathy Jamieson on 19 January 2007, what authority the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has to put in place interim arrangements for visiting committees for young offenders institutions; where the power and authority for such action lies between…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>Appointments to YOI VCs havenow been made. A selection process was conducted where applicants who hadresponded to a national advertising camp…
24 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussion it has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and other police and criminal justice agencies regarding the potential impact of super casinos and increased gambling on criminality and offending; whether it will publish any responses it has received an…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No discussions have taken place.The Deputy First Minister made Scottish ministers’ position on the new casino developmentclear in a press release on 12 September 2006, a link to which is attached <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/09/121115…
24 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider creating a public health strategy to address gambling addiction.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has no plans tocreate a public health strategy in respect of gambling addiction.</p>
24 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available to NHS boards and other agencies to address gambling addiction.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: NHS boards and other agencieshave the resources to provide a full range of treatment and care services. We confirmedon 1 February the allocation of £10 billion to NHS boards in Scotland in 2007-08.It is for NHS boards to determine how best to use the resource…
23 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the Security Industry Authority and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is inregular contact with the Home Office and the Security Industry Authority at bothministerial and official level.</p>
23 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the resource implications are for Lothian and Borders Police of the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) Europe on 30 and 31 January 2007.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Lothian and Borders Police wasallocated in the region of £185.4 million, out of a total police budget of almost£1.1 billion for 2006-07. In the last five years alone funding for Lothian and BordersPolice has increased by £44.5 million and the number of police…
23 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the impact of the introduction of super casinos would be on the level of gambling addiction.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The impact of theintroduction of a super casino in Scotland, including the effect on gambling addiction, wasconsidered in the study Research on the Social Impact of Gambling. This waspublished by the Executive on 12 September 2006. A copy can be found at:</p>…
15 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to extend the remit of the Standards Commission for Scotland to cover the operation of prison visiting committees.
Answer · George Lyon: Parliament agreed to theremit of the Standards Commission for Scotland, as set out in the EthicalStandards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. That remit did not include the operationof, or the investigation of members of, prison visiting committees. How…
11 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the pilots on the River Forth can be transferred as part of any prospective sale or acquisition of Forth Ports plc and, if so, what steps the Executive can take in respect of this issue in the event of ownership of the ports by a foreign buyer.
Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-30875 on 18 January 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
10 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to establish prison visiting committees for young offenders’ institutions.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>A recruitment campaign for YoungOffender Institution Visiting Committees was run in the national press during October.A number of applicati…
10 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what interim arrangements it has put in place to protect and promote the rights of prisoners aged under 21, following the expiry of the remit of prison visiting committees for young offenders’ institutions.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Interim arrangements wereput in place by SPS to allow existing YOI VC members who have re-applied for anappointment to continue in the…
10 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are for local authorities to ensure that carbon monoxide detectors are in place in (a) sheltered housing, (b) care homes and (c) general housing stock under their control containing gas central heating or gas fires.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Gas safety is a matter reservedto the UK Parliament and dealt with by the Health and Safety Executive. Installationof carbon monoxide detectors is not mandatory.</p>
10 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the pilots and regulation of pilotage on the River Forth can be sold or acquired as part of any prospective sale of Forth Ports plc and, if so, what steps the Executive can take in event of ownership of the ports by a foreign buyer.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Forth Ports plc is the competentharbour authority for the Firth of Forth and is responsible for regulating arrangementsfor pilotage on the Forth as required by the Pilotage Act 1987. Any potential changeof ownership would not affect the designated status of t…
10 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what organisation is responsible for monitoring, supervising and regulating pilotage in the Forth ports.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Forth Ports plc is the competentharbour authority for the Firth of Forth. It is responsible for regulating arrangementsfor pilotage on the Forth as required by the Pilotage Act 1987, and also for authorisingpilots to conduct pilotage on the Forth. Part of thi…
10 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish the report on the role of prison visiting committees and, if so, when.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We intend to publish thereport Review of Prison Visiting Committees by March 2007.</p>
10 Jan 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the prison population is held in private prisons.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The prisoner population variesover the year but around 9% of the annual population is held within HM Prison Kilmarnock.</p>
10 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to create a commissioner to cover the operation of prison visiting committees.
3 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether pensioners will be entitled to concessionary fares on the proposed Edinburgh tram scheme and, if no decision has been made on the issue, when a decision will be made and what the reasons are for the position on the matter.
Answer · Tavish Scott: No decision has been made onwhether the free bus travel scheme for older and disabled people should be extendedto cover travel on any future Edinburgh tram network. The current scheme will be reviewed afterits first few years of operation and Scottish ministe…
3 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered the impact of an acquisition of Forth Ports plc by a foreign buyer; what effect such an acquisition would have on Edinburgh and its economy, and what action it plans to take on the matter.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We are not aware of any proposalsfor acquisition of Forth Ports plc by a foreign buyer, other than speculation inthe press.</p>
3 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made regarding a cruise liner terminal being built outwith the port gates at Leith and when a final decision on the issue will be announced.
Answer · Tavish Scott: This is an operational matterfor Forth Ports plc.</p>
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid to Dundas and Wilson in respect of legal and other advice received from it or agencies working on its behalf in each year since 1999.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: The Executive introduced anew accounting system before the start of the 2002-03 financial year. Sincethat date, payments to Dundas and Wilson have been as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=85 valign=top> <p>…
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many official overseas trips were made by senior staff of the Scottish Prison Service in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) member of staff, (b) destination, (c) date travelled and (d) cost.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The Scottish Prison Service(SPS) incurred the following travel expenditure, including overseas travel, in theperiod from 1999-2000 to 2005-…
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Her Majesty’s Government about duty levels on fortified wines and, if so, what these representations were and what response was received.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has not made anysuch representations.</p>
23 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Her Majesty’s Government about increasing the level of duty on high-alcohol-by-volume ciders in line with that on beer and, if so, what these representations were and what response was received.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has not made anysuch formal representations.</p>
21 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22434 by Allan Wilson on 27 January 2006, whether it will provide an update on the level of debt (a) in total and (b) on average which people using the Debt Arrangement Scheme have had since it came into force, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Allan Wilson: </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=160 valign=top> <p align=center>Local Authority Area</p> </td> <td width=148 valign=top> <p align=center>Total Debt to</p> <p align=center>27 November 2006</p> </td>…
21 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22432 by Allan Wilson on 27 January 2006, whether it will provide an update on the number of people who have been placed on a debt payment programme since the Debt Arrangement Scheme was created, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Allan Wilson: <b> </b></p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p align=center>Local Authority Area</p> </td> <td width=226 valign=top> <p align=center>DAS Debt Payment Programmes to 27 November 2006</p> </td> </tr> …