Parliamentary questions
Malcolm Chisholm
362 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the remit for its current review of the International Development Fund projects in Malawi.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: It is now published on the Scottish Government website at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-Relations/internationaldevelopment/internationaldevelopmentp">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-R…
19 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the next meeting of the Scotland-Malawi Joint Commission will be held and who will attend.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: It has been agreed that the next Joint Commission Review Meeting will take place in Malawi and will be attended by officials from the Scottish Government and representatives from the Government of Malawi.</p> <p >Officials are in the process of identifying p…
24 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give detailed information about the extra powers to be given to three pilot local authorities to deal with listed building casework.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The additional power arising from the proposed delegation of listed building consent will allow local authorities to issue such consents without formally notifying Historic Scotland.</p> <p >Currently local authorities must notify Historic Scotland on behalf…
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any change in the department and minster with responsibility for architecture policy.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: Ministerial responsibility for architecture remains with me. In February, a new Directorate for the Built Environment was established, drawing together the Architecture Policy Unit, Building Standards and Planning. This change was one of the proposals contain…
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it wrote to the Scottish Football Association following the parliamentary debate on Broadcasting (Football) on 9 January 2008 and, if so, what response it has received.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: My officials wrote to the Scottish Football Association (SFA) prior to the debate noted in the question. Officials asked the SFA about their views about possible changes to the legislation governing listed events and their broadcast on terrestrial television,…
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the projected budget for Creative Scotland over the next three years will be for activities that are not currently carried out by the Scottish Arts Council or Scottish Screen.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: Creative Scotland, once established, will consider how best to fulfil its functions. Ministers expect that Creative Scotland will evolve the ways in which it stimulates creativity and cultural excellence, which will result in activities, not pursued now by th…
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will report on progress towards meeting its International Strategy targets.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I will publish the International Framework next month which will set out our priorities for the Scottish Government''s international activities and the ways in which we will evaluate and report on our progress.</p>
28 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the new government priorities are under the Creative Scotland heading in the table on page 49 of Volume 2 of the Finance Committee’s 1st Report, 2008 (Session 3): Stage 2 of the 2008-09 Budget Process.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government will make announcements in due course about the use of funds allocated to new government priorities under the Creative Scotland heading.</p>
28 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the £3 million capital funding earmarked for the Mining Museum, the Maritime Museum and the Fisheries Museum will be distributed to them.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: As I have made clear before the case for affordable and sustainable capital investment in the industrial museums will be examined as part of ministers'' consideration of the overall capital plans for culture. To inform these decisions I intend to invite the c…
28 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture on 20 February 2008 (Official Report c. 6092), what the “stronger focus” will be within each of the four strands of the co-operation agreement with Malawi.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: During my recent visit to Malawi I agreed with my ministerial colleagues there that we need to focus our future funding within the priorities of the co-operation agreement. Officials in both countries will continue to work to identify these priorities in each…
24 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what communications it has had with the British Museum about the Lewis Chessmen.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: During my visit to the British Museum at theend of last month, I met with Dr Andrew Burnett, Deputy Director of the British Museum, to discussthe repatriation of the Lewis Chessmen. We agreed thatconstructive dialogue about the chessmen should continue and I …
24 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on returning cultural artefacts held in Scottish museums to their nation of origin.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: Decisions on the repatriationof cultural objects held by Scottish museums are for the Board of Trustees of eachmuseum to take.</p><p>The Trustees of National MuseumsScotland recently agreed to requests to return a Tasmanian skull to Australia andother human r…
24 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to resolve the funding situation of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The currentfunding situation of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama is a matter for theAcademy’s Principal and Board of Governors.</p><p>In regard tofuture funding and prospect of further development of RSAMD it is for the Scottish Funding Council t…
24 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to emphasise financial return when making awards to artists, as suggested by a Scottish Government official in Scotland on Sunday on 20 January 2008.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the member to answerto question S3W-8828 on 7 February 2008. In addition, at present awards to artists are made principallyby the Scottish Arts Council. The government plans for this function to be inheritedby a new cultural development body, Creative…
24 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to instruct the Scottish Arts Council to change the criteria for the award of grants to artists.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: No. The criteria for the awardof grants by the Scottish Arts Council are a matter for them, subject to the objectsdescribed in its Royal Charter.</p>
23 Jan 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that the creative industries are treated as a key sector, as pledged on page 29 of The Government Economic Strategy.
Answer · John Swinney: The recent reorganisationof the enterprise networks, and the forthcoming establishment of Creative Scotland,are key elements in ensuring that the creative industries in Scotland receive the support and advice they require. The ScottishGovernment is working wi…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways it interferes with decisions of the Scottish Arts Council (SAC), other than instructing the SAC to end its support of cultural co-ordinators.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government does not interfere with the operational decisions of the Scottish Arts Council (SAC), which are the responsibility of the joint board of SAC and Scottish Screen. Where SAC implement national cultural initiatives on behalf of the Scotti…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce its Creative Scotland Bill to the Parliament.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: We will introduce a bill to establishCreative Scotland as soon as possible in 2008.</p>
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the progress of the cultural pathfinder programmes, showing how their current purpose compares with their purpose as originally described.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The pathfinder programme,the majority of whose 13 projects began in January 2007, was established by thelast administration to explore community engagement at a “grass roots” level, and ways to engage those who do not take partin culture – through some novel …
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) legislative or (b) other action it believes is required to ensure that all newly discovered Scottish archaeological material is reported through the Treasure Trove system.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer themember to the answer given to question S3W-8644 on 31 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/web…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative changes it believes are required to ensure that dealing in tainted cultural objects does not occur in Scotland.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: While we are not aware that Scotlandhas a problem with this type of illicit activity at present, the government remainssympathetic to such legislation and we are looking at the options available to us,including examining legislation that already exists such a…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to strengthen the Treasure Trove system, either by the appointment of finds liaison officers or in other ways.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: My officials haverecently held discussions with the chair of the Scottish Archaeological FindsAllocation Panel and the Queen and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer to discuss theoperation of the Treasure Trove system in Scotland. I have also offered to meet the ch…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to protect archaeological artefacts, following the decision not to proceed with Part 4 of the draft Culture Bill.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The government remainssympathetic to legislation which would create a criminal offence relating to dealingin tainted cultural objects. Should a suitable opportunity arise in our legislativeprogramme, we will consider progressing this matter further.</p>
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6595 by Linda Fabiani on 27 November 2007, on what the remainder of the £20 million Cultural Review funding attached to the 2007-08 budget is being spent.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: Final announcements on how the£20 million funding has been allocated in 2007-08 will be made in due course.</p>
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the planned culture budget for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09 into (i) capital and (ii) resource.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The budget for culture is part of the First Minister's portfolio total allocation and is detailed as follows.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap rowspan=2 valign=bottom > <p align=left > </p> <p align=l…
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-6591 and S3W-6592 by Linda Fabiani on 6 December 2007, what percentage the total planned cultural budget, including Historic Scotland, for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09 is of the total Scottish budget in each year, expressed to two decimal places.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The budget for culture is part of the First Minister portfolio's total allocation and is detailed as follows. The cultural aspects of the budget are highlighted in bold.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top >…
17 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-7677 by Stewart Maxwell on 20 December 2007, what the total value is of the (a) More Choices More Chances and (b) Workforce Plus funds in 2007-08 and on what basis the social inclusion element of each fund was calculated.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: In 2007-08 the total value of the More Choices More Chances fund was £4.675 million and the total value of WorkforcePlus funding (including the New Futures Fund) was £7.028 million. Investment inboth programmes was made by areas across government, including s…
17 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to implement the recommendations of the report that it commissioned, Communication Support Needs: a Review of the Literature.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmentvery much welcomes the findings of the research report <i>Communication SupportNeeds: a Review of the Literature</i>, published in June 2007. The review concludedwith recommendations for three further research studies and we are conside…
7 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the consultation on the National Panning Framework complied with the National Standards for Community Engagement.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has sought to encourage interest and wide public involvement in the preparation of the NPF in line with the National Standards on Community Engagement. The Interim Conformity Report which was posted as an annex to the latest version of…
7 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information was given in the National Planning Framework participation statement about when consultation was likely to take place.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The schedules set out in the NPF2: Participation Statement have outlined the nature of stakeholder engagement undertaken to date. They have set out how, when and with whom engagement in the preparation of Scotland''s NPF is or has taken place.</p> <p >The NP…