Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received, directly or indirectly, a request from the Government of the United States of America to increase security at any location in Scotland in relation to any visit and, if so, when such a request was received, who it was received from and what the nature of the reques…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I am aware of no suchrequest.</p>
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address taxi regulations following the report by the Office of Fair Trading The regulation of licensed taxi and PHV services in the UK.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Scottish ministers haveagreed to provide a response to the Office of Fair Trading’s report within 120days of publication, in line with other government departments. We arecurrently considering the recommendations contained in the report and haveinvited commen…
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the roles will be of (a) the Forth Estuary Transport Authority and (b) Transport Scotland in the construction of the A8000.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The upgrade of the A8000–M9Spur is to be funded by the Forth Estuary Transport Authority and promoted bythe City of Edinburgh Council as a local road project. The roles andresponsibilities of the national transport agency are currently the subject ofcons…
12 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2006 by Nicol Stephen on 25 September 2003, what further information it now has on timescales for the planning inquiry into, and the commencement of, the construction of A8000.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: A public local inquiry intothe proposals for the A8000–M9 Spur upgrade will take place on 28 and 29 January 2004.Decisions on the commencement of construction of the road are theresponsibility of the City of Edinburgh Council as promoter of the project.</p>
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to use any surplus income from non-domestic rates to grant financial relief to the broadband sector.
Answer · Andy Kerr: We do not have any plans touse any surplus income to grant financial relief to the broadband sector.Direct subsidy to the telecommunications industry is very much restricted by ECstate aids regulations to ensure that no individual operator is awardedcompetiti…
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of relief has been available under the (a) Fuel Duty Rebate and (b) Bus Service Operators Grant in each year since 1997.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: For Bus Fuel Duty, replacedfrom 1 July 2002 by Bus Service Operators Grant, the rate of rebate paid onultra low sulphur diesel, the fuel predominantly used by bus operators, havebeen as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>E…
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual costs have been of (a) Fuel Duty Rebates and (b) Bus Service Operator Grants since 1997.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Fuel Duty Rebate wasreplaced by Bus Service Operators Grant with effect from 1 July 2002. Theinformation sought is as follows.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Financial Year</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>Expe…
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on rates on telecommunications infrastructure in the rest of the UK and how such rates compare with those levied in Scotland.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for theValuation Office Agency for England and Wales. The information requested is not held by the Scottish Executive.</p>
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rates will be levied on satellite and wireless telecommunications infrastructure in each of the next three years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Satellite and wirelesstelecommunications infrastructure is valued on the basis of the rateable assetsin occupation as with any other property. In this case the assets are normallybase stations and associated plant and machinery. Each subject will be valuedloc…
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rates have been levied on telecommunications infrastructure in each of the last six years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for localauthorities. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism is used for levying rates on telecommunications infrastructure.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The rateable value isdetermined by the local assessor who estimates, using available evidence, thehypothetical rent which would be paid by a tenant for the rateable subjects.The poundage rate, which is set annually by Scottish ministers, is thenmultiplied by …
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on marketing for the MTV Europe Music Awards and whether it provided additional funding for this purpose and, if so, from what budget such funds were allocated.
Answer · Frank McAveety: MTV Networks Europe wasresponsible for marketing the MTV Europe Music Awards. No additional fundingwas provided for this purpose.</p>
11 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been allocated to VisitScotland to boost the marketing of Scotland as a destination following the MTV Europe Music Awards.
Answer · Frank McAveety: VisitScotland has used thisunique opportunity to showcase the many attractions that Scotlandholds from within its existing budget. On the back of the tremendous success of the awards, VisitScotland will continue to market Scotland asa must visit destination.<…
10 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what levels of rateable value are ascribed to telecommunications cables in the primary control of network operators other than BT and what information it has on the values ascribed to equivalent cables controlled by the same operators in England.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Thefollowing is a summary of the total rateable value for the major operators (whichis split into local valuation rolls) rounded to nearest £50,000:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>Operator</p> </td> <td> <p> </p> </td> </tr…
10 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government in respect of the impact on the telecommunications industry of differences in the calculation methods used by valuers in ascribing rateable values to BT and other fixed line operators.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues,including non-domestic rates. Scottish assessors are also in regular contactwith their counterparts in England and Wales, the Valuation Office Agency, to ensure the …
7 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the rates for all telecommunications operators are levied equally in order to encourage broadband investment.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Rateable values fortelecommunications operators are based on the rateable assets in occupation bythem. Any variations will be determined by the extent of such assets in theoccupation of any particular operator. The majority of operators are valuedusing the co…
7 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether in the event of the public sector investing in telecommunications networks, business rates on such networks will be levied on an equivalent basis to rates levied on private sector companies.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Yes. The basic principle ofrating is that any subject is valued for occupation by a hypothetical tenantnot the actual occupier.</p>
7 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all telecommunications operators are charged rates on their fibres.
Answer · Andy Kerr: All telecommunicationsoperators in rateable occupation of fibre are currently in the valuation rollor are in the process of providing the necessary information to the relevantassessor to allow entries to be made.</p>
7 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) the European Union on aviation policy in each of the last five years.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive has been inregular contact with the Department for Transport and the European Union overthe last five years to discuss a range of aviation issues affecting Scotland.</p>
7 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funds are available to promote interaction and co-operation between the state and private sectors in education and, if not, whether it has any plans to make such funding available.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive does not provide or plan to provide such funding. There are alreadyexamples of interaction and co-operation at many levels between the two sectors.</p>
6 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to extend the remit and powers of the Caledonian MacBrayne Users Committee to include passengers of Symril Line and Superfast Ferries.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: No. The ferry servicesoperated by Smyril Line and Superfast Ferries operate on a fully commercialbasis. Accordingly, I have no powers to require either company to enter intoparticular consultative arrangements with ferry users.</p>
4 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1249 by Nicol Stephen on 25 June 2003, what funding will be available for international maritime routes from the (a) freight facilities, (b) track access and (c) sea access grant; how much funding is allocated, and who is eligible for such funding.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executivebudget for Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) is £14.4 million in 2003-04, £14.6million in 2004-05 and £15.4 million in 2005-06. This budget is available forrail, inland waterway and short sea shipping routes.</p><p>Track access grant islimi…
4 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been received by area tourist boards from (a) European regional development funding and (b) matched funding, in each year since 1997.
Answer · Frank McAveety: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
4 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3026 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 October 2003, whether information concerning the cost of fuel for vehicles for each police force is held centrally as was provided in the answer to question S1W-6537 by Mr Jim Wallace and, if so, what this cost was to eac…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Information on expenditureby forces at this level of detail is not held centrally but should beavailable, on request, from each police force. A separate exercise wasundertaken in May 2000 to seek from forces the information given in the answerto question S1W-…
3 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made regarding the restructuring of Network Rail and, in particular, the creation of a Scottish region of the company and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The restructuring of NetworkRail is a matter for the company to determine. The Scottish Executive is inregular contact with Network Rail and make representations on a wide range ofissues.</p>
31 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from Her Majesty's Government in respect of the impact on competitiveness in the telecommunications industry of differences in business rates levied on fixed network operators, wireless operators and broadcasters.
Answer · Andy Kerr: We have received norepresentations from Her Majesty’s Government on this issue.</p>
31 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department for Transport and Industry regarding the impact on ferry services of the recommendations of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch's report on the MV Claymore and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a range of reservedissues, including the responsibilities of the Marine Accident InvestigationBranch (MAIB). The MAIB report referred to in the question makesrecommendations to be followed…
31 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Visitscotland has spent marketing Scotland in (a) Italy, (b) Swit'erland, (c) Norway, (d) Sweden, (e) Germany and (f) Spain in each year since 1997; what form of media has been used, and how much it will spend on marketing Scotland in each of these countries in each of the next …
Answer · Frank McAveety: This is an operationalmatter for VisitScotland. However, VisitScotland has an overriding strategy toincrease the volume and value of visitors from international markets.VisitScotland will continue to work using its thematic brand campaigns in keyinternational…
31 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment in respect of the effect of differences in rateable values between Scotland and England on its initiatives to extend the availability of broadband.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Discussions are on-goingbetween the Scottish assessors, who have responsibility for the valuation ofnon-domestic property in Scotland, and the network operators to agree valuations fortheir networks. Established appeal procedures exist for ratepayers if theyd…
31 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how elections to social inclusion partnerships are monitored; who carries out such monitoring, and how this monitoring is recorded.
Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows.</p><p>Issues of SIP governance are a matter for local decision and as such the monitoring of any elections associated with SIPs would be the…