Parliamentary questions
Stewart Stevenson
2,358 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected annual running costs are for the Healthy Living Scotland website and for how many years the website is forecast to operate.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to estimate the projected annual running costs for the Healthy Living website at this stage. Further development of the site, and associated cost implications, will be informed by continuous evaluation of the healthy eating campaign as a wh…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to date has been of (a) developing and (b) maintaining the Healthy Living Scotland website, inclusive of VAT.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The total cost of developing the Healthy Living website to date has been £42,755, inclusive of VAT. As the website was only recently launched we do not have figures for maintenance of the site.
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on projects and tasks.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: The average gross hourly rates for the pay bands of staff working in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for financial year 2002-03 are given in the table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=330><TR><TD WIDTH="20%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=1…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Development Department on projects and tasks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33042 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Legal and Parliamentary Services Department on projects and tasks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33042 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Corporate Services Department on projects and tasks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33042 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Finance and Central Services Department on projects and tasks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33042 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Environment and Rural Affairs Department on projects and tasks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33042 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department on projects and tasks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33042 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Education Department on projects and tasks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33042 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Justice Department on projects and tasks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33042 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
10 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Health Department on projects and tasks.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The average gross hourly rates for the pay bands of staff working in the Scottish Executive's core departments for financial year 2002-03 are given in the table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=378><TR><TD WIDTH="30%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><P>…
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many authorisations for flight operations when the airfield was closed were granted (a) under the Highland and Islands Airport Ltd Out of Hours scheme and (b) in any other circumstances at the licensed airfield at Traigh Mhor on Barra in each of the last five years.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many flights of any kind were operated when the sun was more than 12 degrees below the hori'on at either the time of take-off or landing at the licensed airfield at Traigh Mhor on Barra in each of the last five years and what proportion of any such flights was authorised to operate wh…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in considering the future of the licensed airfield at Traigh Mhor on Barra, it, or any bodies from which it is taking advice, have taken any account of the availability of aircraft suitable for operating public transport flights from sand runways and, if so, to what extent this a…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The availability of aircraft to provide an air service to Barra is inherent in any consideration by the Executive of continued support for a Public Service Obligation service.
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many landings and take-offs by (a) public transport, (b) air ambulance and (c) other fixed-wing traffic there were on (i) runway 07, (ii) runway 11, (iii) runway 15, (iv) runway 25, (v) runway 29 and (vi) runway 33 at the licensed airfield at Traigh Mhor on Barra in each of the last f…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in considering the future of the licensed airfield at Traigh Mhor on Barra, it, or any bodies from which it is taking advice, have taken any account of the value of multiple runways in supporting continued operation at times of high wind speeds.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive, through Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, which is owned by the ministers, is fully aware of the operational environment at Traigh Mhor on Barra in differing weather conditions.
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in considering the future of the licensed airfield at Traigh Mhor on Barra, it, or any bodies from which it is taking advice, have taken any account of any report of aircraft incidents not defined by the United Kingdom Air Accident Investigation Branch as either an aircraft accid…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There is no requirement by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) for the Executive to record any aircraft incidents which are not defined by the AAIB as either an aircraft accident or serious incident.
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in considering the future of the licensed airfield at Traigh Mhor on Barra, it, or any bodies from which it is taking advice, have taken any account of any aircraft accident or serious incident, as defined by the United Kingdom Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) and publish…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The safety of passengers is paramount at all times at airports owned by the ministers and operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. The Executive must ensure that safety is the primary consideration at these airports. No reportable accidents or serious …
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) the Civil Aviation Authority and (b) any other bodies about the continuing technical viability of sand runways at any airfields used for public transport flights and what the results were of any such discussions.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Any discussions about the continuing technical viability of sand runways at any airfields used for public transport flights is a matter for the operator of such runways, in discussion with the regulatory authority.
8 Jan 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to increase the number of cycle trips taken in the light of the targets of the National Cycling Strategy not being met.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Figures to show whether the targets of the National Cycling Strategy are being met in Scotland are not currently available. The Executive is promoting cycling by a number of means, including financial support for local authorities and the voluntary sector.
6 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17603 by Mr Jack McConnell on 14 September 2001, what progress is being made in assessing the need for swimming facilities for pupils and what action arising from the review of swimming provision may result in the provision of such facilities to chil…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The audit of current swimming provision I announced on 24 May 2001 is now complete and copies of the report have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 25875) and will shortly be distributed to all local authorities. Learning and Teachi…
23 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the formula used to determine the funding of fire brigades relies too heavily on statistics derived from FBRI forms completed after fires, given that these forms do not indicate the fire service's wider workload in terms of attending road accidents, floods and other incidents.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The distribution of general grant support to fire brigades is based on firefighter numbers (standardised establishment) and actual expenditure on pension costs. Brigades subsequently make their own decisions about the allocation of resources to meet their res…
19 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what study it has made of the use of wind power in Denmark.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We have not undertaken any specific study, although we keep up to date in all important areas of wind power development.
19 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been undertaken regarding attitudes towards wind farms among those residing closest to such facilities.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive commissioned a study in 2000. It found that those living closest to wind farms were generally more positive about the developments than those who lived further away. However, we have recently been alerted to a flaw in the sample upon which part …
19 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what distance its guidelines recommend wind turbines should be sited from residential properties on account of noise considerations.
Answer · Des McNulty: Noise from wind farms is more appropriately controlled by considering proposals in relation to acceptable noise limits rather than imposing a specific separation distance. <I>Planning Advice Note 45: Renewable Energy Developments </I>confirms that <I>The Asse…
19 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32128 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 December 2002, whether any independent research has been carried out into the effectiveness of the Learn To Let Go campaign.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Faulds Advertising have already carried out their own research into the effectiveness of the campaign and System Three Social Research have recently been commissioned to follow up the baseline research on Public Awareness and Perceptions of Travel Awareness t…
19 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reply to my letter of 4 October 2002 regarding my constituent G Banks of Maud, Aberdeenshire.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I replied to the member on 9 January 2003.
18 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific benefits are expected to accrue to the Banff and Buchan parliamentary constituency as a result of its announcement on 17 December 2002 regarding investment in the railways.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Whilst the national rail network does not run into or through the Banff and Buchan parliamentary constituency, travellers from that constituency do make use of the rail network from Aberdeen station. The announcement on 17 December 2002 will result in tighten…
18 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who will own the 22 new three-car trains referred to in its news release SEET213/2002.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The rolling stock will be procured by ScotRail and ownership will remain in the private sector.