Kenny MacAskill

19 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, and will make, to distributors regarding the acquisition and sale of the works of Scottish writers and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive is content withthe current arrangements. The Scottish Publishers Association (SPA) operate, asa subsidiary, Book Source, a large-scale national and UK-wide distributor of Scottishand UK publishers. Specific data is available from the SPA.</p>

19 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken by Historic Scotland to acquire and sell the works of new Scottish writers in its shops.

Answer · Frank McAveety: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to reply. His response is as follows:</p><p>The books on sale in shops atHistoric Scotland properties are carefully selected to appeal to visitors. A widerange is carried, mostly about Scotland a…

19 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage local authorities to bulk-buy the work of new Scottish writers.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The Review of Scottish Publishingin the 21st Century by PricewaterHouseCoopers and Napier University, commissionedby Scottish Arts Council and currently nearing completion, is expected to make recommendationson this issue.</p>

19 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that each local authority makes the work of new Scottish writers available in public libraries.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The Scottish PublishersAssociation (SPA), core-funded by Scottish Arts Council (SAC), is developing initiativesto improve availability of data on indigenous publishing output to the public librarynetwork. The SAC has also funded the post of National Readershi…

19 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote, support and publish the work of new Scottish writers.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The LiteratureDepartment of Scottish Arts Council has a budget of £2.1 million which currentlysupports 10 national literature organisations, direct support to writers and storytellersin the form of bursaries, book awards and writing fellowships; grants to Sco…

11 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that local authorities promote training and qualifications for both licensees and staff in light of the recent publication of the report of the Nicholson Committee and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: When I announced publicationof Nicholson Report on 19 August, I indicated that the Executive would be seekingcomments on the recommendations until 19 December. While the Executive broadly welcomesthe recommendations on training we shall consider carefully the…

10 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current legislative framework is regarding parking on pavements; whether it has any plans to amend the framework to allow local authorities to more easily regulate and control such parking, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Local authorities have powersunder the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to restrict or prohibit pavement parkingby the making of a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO). The procedures for the makingof TRO's are contained in the Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Pr…

10 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1839 by Nicol Stephen, which meetings between the European Commission and member states it has attended since 1999 and what contributions it made to each meeting.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Discussions between member statesand the Commission are private and inform internal discussion and advice. As such,this information is exempted under part II, sections 2 and 14(b) of the <i>Codeof Practice for Access to </i><i>Scottish Executive</i><i> Inform…

8 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions, criteria and planning implications must be met for the creation of a harbour; what action it or local authorities can take to prevent the creation of artificial or fixed harbours; what regulations can be put in place following the creation of any such harbour, and what c…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: A harbour development would normallybe pursued through a Harbour Order under the Harbours Act 1964 to convey the powersto create, operate and regulate a harbour. The conditions and criteria that applyto Harbour Orders are set out in sections 14 to 18 of that …

8 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information technology pilot schemes are currently in operation within the NHS; what the nature of such schemes is; what the timescale for such schemes is, and what evaluations of them (a) have taken place and (b) will take place, specifying approximate timescales

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Partnership for Care highlightedthe urgent need to move to an eHealth culture driven by clinicians. To achieve thisa Clinical Information Management &amp; Technology lead has been appointed withinScottish Executive Health Department and Directors of Clinical …

2 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regarding proposed UK legislation on offshore renewable energy and what impact such legislation will have on the energy sector in Scotland.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues,including offshore renewable energy. We are currently discussing with the DTIhow best to ensure that any future legislation does not place an additionalburden on dev…

28 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Transport regarding lorry road user charging; what the annual sum generated in Scotland from such charging will be; what funds generated from such charging will be allocated to Scotland; what opportunities the Executive will have to inf…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The lorry road user charging(LRUC) project was discussed in detail at the most recent Department for Transport-Scottish Executive bi-lateral meeting in July of this year. The LRUC has been classified asa tax and is, therefore, a reserved matter. As such, all …

26 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of the costings given for infrastructure commitments in A Partnership for a Better Scotland are index-linked.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The costings given in <i>A Partnership for a Better Scotland</i> – as is also the convention for all Executive financial publications – are given in cash terms:in other words, they are not index-linked unless specifically identified as such. </p><p>In part th…

26 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reduce the speed limit on the A8 between Ratho Station and Gogarburn to 50 mph and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Under the Road Traffic RegulationAct 1984, responsibility for setting speed limits on roads in Scotland lies withthe appropriate traffic authority, in this case the City of Edinburgh Council.</p>

21 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1422 by Tavish Scott on 5 August 2003, which (a) individuals and (b) organisations are scheduled to receive (i) funding and (ii) assistance other than funding from (1) the broadband Pathfinder project, (2) Project ATLAS and (3) the trading exchange i…

Answer · Tavish Scott: For the Pathfinder projects,no decisions on the allocation of funding have yet been taken since theprojects are only part way through the procurement process, but the aim of theprojects is to provide broadband services to the partner local authorities andheal…

21 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1422 by Tavish Scott on 5 August 2003, which (a) individuals and (b) organisations have received (i) funding and (ii) assistance other than funding from (1) the broadband pathfinder projects, (2) Project ATLAS and (3) the trading exchange in each yea…

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Pathfinder Projects areat present part way through the procurement process. No contracts have yet beensigned and hence no payments made for the provision of broadband services.</p><p>Funding and assistance otherthan funding in relation to Project ATLAS an…

21 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1422 by Tavish Scott on 5 August 2003, what the (a) estimated and (b) actual costs have been of (i) the broadband Pathfinder projects, (ii) Project ATLAS and (iii) the trading exchange in each year since the inception of each project, broken down by …

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Pathfinder projects areat present part way through the procurement process and, therefore, there hasbeen no expenditure incurred on the provision of broadband services to date.Expenditure on related legal, financial and technical advice to the Pathfinderp…

21 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it allocated to the Rural Petrol Station Grant Scheme in each year since 1999 and how much it will allocate to this scheme in each of the next three years.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: £400,000 has been allocatedto the Rural Petrol Stations Grant Scheme each year since 1998-99, except1999-2000 when the allocation was increased to £700,000 as a result ofadditional funding made available for rural transport measures in the 1999 budget.Funding…

21 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many vehicles have been converted to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) using grants provided by it in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information required isset out in the following table .The Scottish Executive provides funding forconversion of vehicles to alternative fuels, mainly LPG, in two ways. Firstly,it funds the Energy Saving Trust’s UK Powershift programme. In addition, the Sc…

21 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many petrol stations have (a) been awarded grants to install and (b) installed facilities for liquefied petroleum gas in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Grants to install liquefiedpetroleum gas (LPG) equipment have been awarded as shown in the followingtable:</p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Local Authority</p> </td> <td> <p>Year</p> </td…

15 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1058 by Tavish Scott on 28 July 2003, whether it has sought, or will seek, membership at full, association, or other level of the Nordic Council of Ministers and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive believes that closer co-operation between the Scottish Executive and the Nordic Council of Ministers will deliver benefits for Scotland. It is not necessary to become a member of the Nordic Council to enjoy thesebenefits and the Executi…

13 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the division of responsibility is between it and the Department for Transport on aviation matters and what the remit is of each area of responsibility.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998, and The Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc) Order 1999, set out the division of responsibility on aviation matters between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government.</p>

13 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Short Sea and Waterways Forum, announced by the Department for Transport on 17 July 2003, will also operate in Scotland; if so, what the forum's role will be, and what the Executive's position is on the promotion and operation of the forum.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Short Sea and Waterways Forum is an industry led body that represents UK waterfreight interests including all the main Scottish ports and waterways. Its overarching aim is the promotion of water freight transport throughout the UK.</p><p>We welcome the fo…

12 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be taken on whether a planning inquiry will be set up in respect of works to the A8000.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Several statutory objectionsto the relevant roads orders remain unresolved. Accordingly, the relevant paperswere recently passed to the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit to arrange a public localinquiry into the matter.</p>

12 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the main causes of traffic congestion are and what measures are in place, and are being considered, to deal with the issue.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Traffic congestion occurswhen demand for road space, usually at certain times of day, outstrips supply.On the demand side, the main causes are large numbers of parents driving theirchildren to school and commuters driving to work, which place particularly hig…

5 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has in negotiations at European Union and European Commission level on maritime issues and what meetings it has attended on such issues with the (a) European Union, (b) European Commission and (c) International Maritime Organisation, detailing its role at, and the nature of,…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The UK Government isresponsible for EU and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) negotiationsand the Executive contributes to the UK line on all devolved matters. The Executive hascontributed to and participated in meetings between the European Commission…

5 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an assurance that it will not consider adopting the powers currently being considered for adoption by the Department for Transport as part of a proposed traffic management bill until a full assessment of any impact that the bill would have on the telecommunications in…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1826 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_…

4 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff are involved in maritime issues, broken down by department, division, branch and remit.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Transport Division 4, which is part of Enterprise, Transportand Lifelong Learning Department, has primary responsibility for maritime issues within the Scottish Executive. The division currently has 21 staff. It is supported by a range of staff in professiona…

4 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its role is in (a) granting, (b) funding and (c) monitoring public service obligation tenders and services.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The rules in relation to public service obligations (PSOs) are determined by the European Union.</p><p>In the case of maritime PSOs, the rules are set out in Council Regulation 3577/92 and associated guidelines 97/C205/05. These allow member states to conclud…

4 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government regarding the proposed traffic management bill.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is monitoring the on-going work to develop proposals for a traffic management bill.