Kenny MacAskill

27 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated average cost of purchasing a house has been in terms of legal fees, surveys and other associated costs in each year since 1997.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive does not holdinformation on the costs of house buying over time. Research conducted in 2002suggested that the average cost of house buying in Scotland,excluding Stamp Duty was £1,377 at that time. Average solicitors’ costs werejust over £1,000 a…

27 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote or support fast ferries or other such maritime links in the Firth of Forth.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has agreedto contribute towards the £15,000 costs of a hovercraft demonstration on the Firthof Forth due to be held in 2007. It is too early to comment on further potentialsupport in the absence of more detailed proposals.</p>

27 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available for port infrastructure improvements in Edinburgh or Fife to promote fast ferries or other maritime links.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Government funding is not generallyavailable for port infrastructure improvements, although freight grants may be availabledepending on the nature of the project proposed. The Scottish Executive has receivedno detailed proposals involving fast ferries or othe…

27 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been employed in the printing sector in (a) Scotland and (b) Edinburgh in each year since 1997.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Table 1 shows the number of employeejobs in Edinburgh and Scotland in the printing sector. Due to changes in the data between2002 and 2003 there is a discontinuity with the data therefore comparisons betweendata from 2003 onwards with data prior to 2003 shoul…

19 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cruise liners have visited Scotland in each year since 1999, broken down by port.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The numbers of cruise ships visitingScotland over the period 1999 to 2005 are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p align=center>Port</p> </td> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p align=cente…

19 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on promoting Scotland as a cruise liner destination in each year since 1999.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: VisitScotland very actively promotesScotland as a visitor destination, although not as a cruise liner destination assuch. However, cruise liners bring a significant number of visitors to particularareas of Scotland during the year. That is why VisitScotland, …

19 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its current strategy is for promoting Scotland as a cruise liner destination.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Cruise liners bring a significantnumber of visitors to particular areas of Scotland during the year. Accordingly, VisitScotland, with contributoryfunding from Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothians, has commissioned researchinto the scope and potential of…

19 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent in each year since 1999 by (a) VisitScotland and (b) Executive departments or other agencies in promoting the Edinburgh (i) International Festival, (ii) Festival Fringe, (iii) Film Festival and (iv) Book Festival.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The information is not held centrallyin the form requested. Details of specific funding provided by the Executive throughits agencies are set out in the following tables:</p><p>Edinburgh Festivals (inc. Winter Festivals)</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cell…

19 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many overseas Scottish societies it communicates with on a regular basis by electronic or paper newsletters.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive engageswith the Scottish diaspora to further Scotland’s interests for the long-term benefit of our economyand society.</p><p>We communicate regularly withthe diaspora, alumni and people with an affinity towards Scotland electronicallyth…

19 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to which Scottish organisations it sends greetings on St Andrew’s Day.

Answer · Tom McCabe: A message will also be sent outto the Global Friends of Scotland and the Globalscot networks. A greeting will beincluded in the St Andrew’s Day edition of <i>Scotland Now </i>which will be releasedon Thursday 30 November. <i>Scotland Now</i> is a quarterly e-…

14 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals were in mortgage arrears in each year since 1999 and, of these, how many were first-time buyers.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on numbers in mortgagearrears in Scotland is not held centrally.</p>

30 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many unaccompanied asylum seeker children have been in residential care in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) month and (b) local authority area.

Answer · Robert Brown: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>

29 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what input its press office has had into freedom of information responses by the Executive.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Press Office is the first pointof contact at the Scottish Executive for all media organisations. Guidance is provided to Scottish Executive staff on theappropriate handling of requests under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act2002, this is available on …

29 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions, and in respect of which specific requests, its press office has been given sight of information prior to that information being released in response to a freedom of information request.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The information asked for isnot held. Guidance is provided to Scottish Executive staff on the appropriate handlingof requests under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, this is availableon the Scottish Executive website at:</p><p><ahref="http://www…

29 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it handles freedom of information requests in a uniform manner or whether requests from specific individuals or people in certain occupations are treated differently and, if so, why it follows this approach.

Answer · Margaret Curran: All requests for informationare handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information (Scotland)Act 2002. Guidance is provided to Scottish Executive staff on the appropriatehandling of requests under the act, this is available on the Scottish Executivewebsite…

21 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government concerning the decision over whether to allow Bulgarian and Romanian citizens access to the UK job market if the two countries enter the EU in 2007 and whether it will provide details of these discussions.

Answer · Tom McCabe: An announcement of the UK position willfollow the final EU decision on accession of these two countries. We are, and willremain, in contact with the UK Government on this issue.</p>

21 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether Bulgarian and Romanian citizens should be allowed access to the Scottish job market if the two countries enter the European Union in 2007.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The need for a managedmigration system in the UK is widely acknowledged. Within that framework,and the related laws of the EU, we wish to see as open a job market as possiblein Scotland. Weare in contact with the Home Office and I am confident that Scotland w…

21 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the skills possessed by workers from the A8 countries who have entered the Scottish job market.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information is availablein the Accession Monitoring Report May 2004 – June 2006 an online report availablefrom the Home Office’s Immigration and Nationality Directorate.</p>

21 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the contribution to the Scottish economy of workers from the A8 countries.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive currentlyhas no specific information on the direct economic contribution to the Scottisheconomy of workers from the A8 countries other than the data provided in the <i>AccessionMonitoring Report May 2004 – June 2006</i>, which provides …

21 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many citizens of the A8 countries have migrated to Scotland since these countries’ entry to the European Union in 2004, broken down by country of origin.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information is availablein the Accession Monitoring Report May 2004 – June 2006 an online report availablefrom the Home Office’s Immigration and Nationality Directorate.</p>

21 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what average (a) hourly rate and (b) expenses were paid for the services of (i) partners, (ii) qualified solicitors and (iii) unqualified solicitors involved in representation of the defenders in the Napier case.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Prison Service(SPS) was represented by the Office of the Solicitor to the Scottish Executive (OSSE).The SPS did not incur any direct costs for this work.</p>

17 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what bonus payments have been paid to officials and officers of the Scottish Legal Aid Board in each year since 1999 and how such bonuses are calculated.

Answer · Hugh Henry: This is a matter for the Scottish Legal Aid Board. The board will be happy to provide the information ifrequested to do so.</p>

17 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what average hourly rate is paid for the services of (a) partners, (b) qualified solicitors and (c) unqualified solicitors of private law for work commissioned or instructed by the Executive.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The average hourly rates chargedby qualified solicitors, trainee solicitors and paralegal staff instructed to acton behalf of the Scottish ministers, the Scottish Executive and its agencies areset out below:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr…

17 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what average hourly rate for the services of (a) partners, (b) qualified solicitors and (c) unqualified solicitors was paid to agents representing those accused in the Lockerbie trial.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No public monies were paidto agents representing those accused in the Lockerbie trial. The fees wouldhave been a matter between agent and client and this information is not held bythe Scottish Executive.</p>

23 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the costs to the prison service of the reforms to the automatic early release system, announced on 20 June 2006, whereby all offenders sentenced to over 14 days in prison will be required to serve at least 50 per cent of their sentence in prison.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The legislation required tosupport the Executive’s plans for the release and post custody management ofoffenders published on 20 June 2006 will be presented to Parliament in the autumn. Workon modelling the framework that will be needed to support the new arr…

23 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the impact on the daily prison population of the reforms to the automatic early release system, announced on 20 June 2006, whereby all offenders sentenced to over 14 days in prison will be required to serve at least 50 per cent of their sentence in prison.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The legislation required tosupport the Executive’s plans for the release and post custody management ofoffenders published on 20 June 2006 will be presented to Parliament in the autumn. Workon modelling the framework that will be needed to support the new arr…

22 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has held discussions with representatives of youth theatre in each year since 1999; with whom these discussions took place, and what their purpose was.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Support for youth theatre isan operational matter for the Scottish Arts Council. Information on discussionswith representatives of youth theatre is not routinely collated and istherefore unavailable.</p>

22 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current participation rates are in youth theatre, broken down by age group.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Research carried out for the Scottish Arts Council in 2001 estimated that there were over 7,000 participantsin youth theatre, taking part in over 300 youth theatre groups. </p><p>The survey also found that47% of participants were aged under 12, 50% aged 12 – …

22 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it recognises youth theatre as a distinct art form.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Youth theatre can include adiverse and eclectic range of activity, such as musical theatre, dance theatre,site-specific productions and use of multimedia in performance. The ScottishArts Council supports the definition offered by Promote YT:</p><p>Promote YT …

22 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it intends to allocate for youth theatre in each of the next three years.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive doesnot earmark specific funding for youth theatre within the Scottish ArtsCouncil’s grant-in-aid. However, the SAC has indicated that it intends tocontinue its funding commitment to Scottish Youth Theatre and Promote YT, togetherwith c…