Kenny MacAskill

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19401 by Lewis Macdonald on 26 November 2001, whether the Private Finance Initiative contract relating to the new terminal at Inverness, or any other contract, requires Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd to charge a minimum landing charge per passeng…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Neither the Private Finance Initiative nor any other contract requires Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd to charge a minimum landing charge per passenger at Inverness Airport.

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19401 by Lewis Macdonald on 26 November 2001, who the principal shareholders of Inverness Air Terminal Ltd are and what lease rentals and concessions provide income to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The shareholder of Inverness Air Terminal Limited is Noble PFI Fund Limited.<P>The lease rentals that provide income to Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd at Inverness Airport are those relating to airline offices and check-in and concourse areas. No concession…

27 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any record is kept of councillors who (a) are nominated for and (b) take up remunerated posts on boards and organisations in local authorities adjacent to their own; if so, whether it will give details of any such nominations or appointments in each year since 1997, and, if not, w…

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested is not held centrally and there are no plans to keep such records.

27 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many councillors from the City of Edinburgh City Council have been appointed to non-departmental public bodies, Social Inclusion Partnerships or other publicly remunerative posts in each year since 1997 and what the (a) posts and (b) remuneration received were in each case.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Edinburgh City Councillors appointed to non-departmental public bodies are listed in the table below:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=611><TR><TD WIDTH="14%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P>Name</FONT></TD><TD WIDTH="23%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT …

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it will give to retailers on preventing any potential fraud following the introduction of the euro in other European countries in January 2002.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Retailers will wish to note the excellent advice that is available from the Bank of England and the European Central Bank (ECB) on this issue.<P>The Bank of England has run a series of counterfeit detection training sessions for a number of organizations, inc…

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it will provide to the police or to other criminal justice agencies regarding the prevention of any potential criminal activities following the introduction of the euro in other European countries in January 2002.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The resources made available to police forces and other criminal justice agencies by the Scottish Executive are not directly linked to the costs of tackling specific criminal activities. Criminal justice agencies across the UK are of course fully apprised of …

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations P & O North Sea Ferries has made to it regarding a Freight Facilities Grant application for the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service; whether it is aware of any representations P & O North Sea Ferries has made to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Reg…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There have been no representations made by P & O North Sea Ferries to the Scottish Executive about the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service. The question of representations to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions or to the European Commi…

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what appointments of individuals with a declared party affiliation have been made to any Social Inclusion Partnership boards in the City of Edinburgh Council area in each year since 1997 and what the (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each appointee was.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIP) were launched in 1999, and there are five in Edinburgh. South Edinburgh and Edinburgh Youth SIP were newly designated in April 1999. North Edinburgh was previously a Priority Partnership Area designated as a SIP in April 19…

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what appointments have been made to health trusts and boards in the Lothian and NHS Borders areas in each year since 1997 and what the (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each appointee was.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The table annexed (together with the accompanying notes) summarises the information requested for non-executive Members and Trustees of NHS Boards and Trusts who were first appointed from 1 January 1997 onwards. <P>1. NHS Lothian:<P>(i) Lothian NHS Board (for…

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of any councillors who have sat on the Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board in each year since 1974 including (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each councillor.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This information is not held centrally. Appointments to the board are matters for the constituent police authorities in the Lothian and Borders Police area, in line with the arrangements set out, most recently, in The Lothian and Borders Combined Police Area …

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of any councillors who have sat on the Lothian and Borders Fire Board in each year since 1974, including the (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each councillor.

Answer · Richard Simpson: The information requested runs to several papers, so I shall write to the member and place a copy of my detailed reply in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 17865).

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of any councillors who have sat on the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board in each year since 1974 including the (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each councillor.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally, as appointments to the board are matters for the local authorities which constitute the board.

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what appointments have been made to the Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board in each year since 1997 and what the (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each appointee was.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally. Appointments to the board are matters for the constituent police authorities in the Lothian and Borders Police area, in line with the arrangements set out in The Lothian and Borders Combined Police Area Amalgam…

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what appointments have been made to the Lothian and Borders Fire Board in each year since 1997 and what the (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each appointee was.

Answer · Richard Simpson: The information requested runs to several papers, so I shall write to the member and place a copy of my detailed reply in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 17865).

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what appointments have been made to the board of the East of Scotland Water Authority in each year since 1997 and what the (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each appointee was.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Details of appointments to East of Scotland Water Authority since 1997 are listed in the tables. Appointees are required to declare any activities on behalf of a political party or similar organisation undertaken in the previous five years. These details are …

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what appointments have been made to the board of Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian, or its predecessor body, in each year since 1997 and what the (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each appointee was.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. The Executive does not hold this information centrally.

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what appointments have been made to Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board in each year since 1997 and what the (a) party affiliation of and (b) remuneration received by each appointee was.

Answer · Mike Watson: This is an operational matter for Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board.

26 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the wind-up of Atlantic Telecom Group plc and its subsidiaries will have on the Executive's broadband strategy and what steps it is taking to address any such effect.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: At the time Atlantic Telecom went into administration, it was not a provider of broadband services.<P>We have asked DTI to consider the potential for changes in the regulatory framework and other measures to ensure that, in the event of similar circumstances …

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding a proposal by Consignia to end second post deliveries.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Consignia and postal services are reserved matters. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including matters relating to Consignia.

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made in respect of the collapse of Atlantic Telecom and the discontinuance of telephone lines and numbers for subscribers and to whom and when any such representations were made.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive was in discussion with the Department of Trade and Industry and Oftel from 8 November 2001 regarding the potential switch-off of the Atlantic Telecom fixed wireless network on 25 November 2001. As soon as it became apparent that there w…

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria have to be met by anyone appointed to the board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The criteria used when selecting members to the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) are:<DIR><DIR><U><P>Skills </U><P>Analytical and strategic skills;<P>Effective presentational, communication and negotiating skills;<P>Ability to provide inspir…

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what has been (a) the experience in business, aviation and tourism and (b) the political affiliation of all board members of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd since 1997.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There are currently five part-time members on the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) and one full-time member. All have business experience, two have aviation experience and none has any direct involvement in tourism. The three former members …

20 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, for each year since 1997, (a) how much funding was granted (i) in total to social inclusion partnerships in Edinburgh and (ii) to each such partnership, (b) how many private companies were formed using such funding, (c) how many private companies formed using such funding have gone into …

Answer · Margaret Curran: Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIP) were launched in 1999, and there are five in Edinburgh. South Edinburgh and Edinburgh Youth SIP were newly designated in April 1999. North Edinburgh was previously a Priority Partnership Area designated as a SIP in April 19…

19 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many job losses there have been in each parliamentary constituency since May 1999, broken down by employing organisation.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The information requested is not available centrally.

14 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to support and enhance the transport and economic infrastructure of the port of Rosyth.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19943.

14 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding the Executive's range of powers in relation to short sea shipping.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including short sea shipping.

14 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what strategies are in place to develop ferry and shipping services from the port of Rosyth.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has fully supported the plans to introduce a ferry link between Rosyth and Zeebrugge and the recent successful application for Freight Facilities Grant to fund the project. The Scottish Executive and the Department of Transport, Local G…

13 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many visitors to Scotland arrived in (a) a Scottish airport and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom on a direct flight from Canada in each year since 1997.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the Office of National Statistics' Information Passenger Survey, as well as the Civil Aviation Authority, may be able to provide information on visitors arriving at/departing from airports in Scotland/…

13 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many visitors there were from Canada to Scotland in each year since 1999 to date.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=198><TR><TD WIDTH="29%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Year</FONT></TD><TD WIDTH="71%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Number of Tri…

13 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average amount spent by visitors to Scotland from Canada was in each year since 1997.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=311><TR><TD WIDTH="21%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Year</FONT></TD><TD WIDTH="79%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Average Spend…