Parliamentary questions
Tavish Scott
2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the extent will be of the public consultation on the terms and conditions to be included in the tender documents for the next contract to provide lifeline ferry services between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland and what the dates will be for the various stages of the con…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government intends to conduct a full and open consultation in respect of the 2012-18 contract to provide lifeline ferry services between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland. It is intended that this consultation will be conducted in par…
11 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) lowest, (b) average and (c) highest percentage rent increase or decrease imposed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise on the rents for commercial premises owned by it in Shetland and leased to business was in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09 and is proposed for 2009-10.
Answer · Jim Mather: Setting the level of rent for commercial properties owned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is an operational matter for HIE.</p> <p >I have written to HIE''s Chief Executive asking him to respond to you directly on this issue.</p>
11 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when it determined its funding for (a) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (b) Scottish Enterprise, it made assumptions on the likely increase or decrease in the income of these agencies from leasing commercial premises to businesses and, if so, what the assumptions were regardi…
Answer · Jim Mather: The level of funding from the Scottish Government to both Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise for the duration of the spending review period 2008-11 was not influenced by any assumption of increased or decreased revenue to those bodies th…
11 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors rent rises imposed by (a) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (b) Scottish Enterprise on businesses leasing commercial premises from them.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government does not monitor rent rises imposed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise or Scottish Enterprise on businesses leasing commercial premises from them. The budgets of both bodies are monitored by the Scottish Government but not to the deta…
11 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (b) Scottish Enterprise must seek its approval for their policies on undertaking rent reviews of commercial premises leased by them to businesses.
Answer · Jim Mather: Reviewing rents on commercial properties leased from Highlands and Islands Enterprise or Scottish Enterprise is an operational matter for those bodies and does not require Scottish Government approval, providing that the policies in place within each organisa…
11 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines or instructions it gives to (a) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (b) Scottish Enterprise regarding their policies on undertaking rent reviews of commercial premises leased by them to businesses.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise are like other public bodies required to carry out all their financial undertakings, including the undertaking of rent reviews of commercial premises leased to businesses, within the guidelines set out …
29 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the total financial value of the (a) support previously provided to businesses under the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) business improvement tools programme during its last two years of operation and (b) equivalent support available to business in the HIE ar…
Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise has never run a business improvement tools programme as such, but has provided and continues to provide a range of support and advice services, where appropriate, to account managed businesses. </p> <p >Details of the service…
29 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it requires or encourages construction companies undertaking publicly funded contracts to achieve certification to ISO standards and, if so, whether it will detail the levels of certification required or sought.
Answer · Jim Mather: Decisions on the criteria used in public construction contracts to select contractors are taken on the basis of what is relevant and proportionate to individual project needs. Evidence of membership of recognised accreditation schemes, of which there are many…
29 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the financial and other support available to businesses under the Business Gateway programme that could assist them in undertaking the work necessary to achieve certification to ISO standards.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Business Gateway provides wide ranging advice on the support available to businesses throughout Scotland, including advice on ISO standards. Details of that advice can be found at <cite><a href="http://www.bgateway.com/">www.bgateway.com</a>.</cite></p>
29 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the (a) bodies providing local management for the Business Gateway programme and (b) funding allocated to each body for the current year and future years.
Answer · Jim Mather: The management of local Business Gateway delivery is provided by the following local authorities:</p> <p >Aberdeenshire Council,</p> <p >Argyll and Bute Council,</p> <p >City of Edinburgh Council,</p> <p >Comhairle nan Eilean Siar,</p> <p >Dumfries an…
29 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the (a) support previously provided to businesses under the Highlands and Islands Enterprise business improvement tools programme and (b) current schemes that provide that support.
Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise has never run a business improvement tools programme as such, but has provided and continues to provide a range of support and advice services, where appropriate, to account managed businesses. </b></p> <p >Details of the ser…
29 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is available to assist businesses with the costs of achieving certification to ISO standards.
Answer · Jim Mather: None. Whether or not to have an independent audit of its management system to confirm that it conforms, for example, to ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 is a decision to be taken by a business against a range of factors. These might include if implementation of ISO stan…
22 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when applications can be made for funding from Scotland’s share of the €1 billion funding package for rural broadband under the European Economic Recovery Plan.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25116 on 14 July 2009. 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/Apps2/B…
22 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland’s share of the €1 billion funding package for rural broadband under the European Economic Recovery Plan will be distributed under the Scotland Rural Development Programme through the LEADER programme and, if so, whether it will be ring-fenced and whether it will be additi…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25116 on 14 July 2009. 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/Apps2/B…
22 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used to determine the distribution of Scotland’s share of the €1 billion funding package for rural broadband under the European Economic Recovery Plan.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25116 on 14 July 2009. 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/Apps2/B…
22 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the €1 billion funding package for rural broadband under the European Economic Recovery Plan will be allocated to Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scotland''s share of the ‚¬1 billion funding package for rural broadband under the European Economic Recovery Plan is approximately ‚¬2.9 million. Criteria to determine the distribution of the funding package are currently being considered by the Scottish Go…
22 Jun 2009 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.
Answer · Alex Salmond: <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0625-01.htm">http://www.scot…
15 Jun 2009 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.
Answer · Alex Salmond: <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0618-01.htm">http://www.scot…
12 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of Curriculum Review - Experiences and Outcomes were (a) printed and (b) sent to teachers; what the cost was of (i) printing and (ii) distributing the document, and whether consideration was given to (A) reducing the printing cost by designing a less glossy document in a s…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The decision to issue the <i >Curriculum Review - </i><i >Experiences and Outcomes</i> in a print format was based on engagement with teachers and teaching unions. During the trialling and engagement process, teachers expressed a strong demand for personal ha…
9 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) its target for the number of housing units approvals and (b) the actual number of units approved by it where the grant offer was accepted was in each of the last three years for which information is available, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Alex Neil: The following table details the planned and actual unit approvals split by local authority over the past three years. </p> <p >Planned and Actual Unit Approvals</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=613 > <thead> <tr > <td width=157 …
29 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the opening hours are for a grade two VisitScotland tourist information centre and whether they change according to the time of year.
Answer · Jim Mather: This is an operational matter for VisitScotland and I have asked the Chief Executive of VisitScotland to write to the member with this information.</p>
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial allocations it is making to the third sector for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 outlined our spending plans for the Third Sector, investing £93.6 million over the three-year period (£23.2 million, £32.2 million, £38.2 million) from April 2008 to March 2011. Since the 2007 review report was publish…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are upper or lower limits on the area of a croft or farm unit eligible for support under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme and, if so, what these limits are; when they were introduced, and for what reasons.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There are currently no upper limits. There is a three hectare minimum qualifying limit which applies to all LFASS applicants. This provision on a minimum defined area of land complies with article 14.2 of the EU Rural Development Regulation 1257/1999. The thr…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what indices were used to make the Housing Association Grant allocations announced in the Affordable Housing Investment Programme 2009-10 and whether these indices alter according to region or are determined and applied nationally.
Answer · Alex Neil: Allocation of Affordable Housing Investment Programme resources for 2009-10 was based on the following principles:</p> <p >Core programmes for all local authority areas would be reinstated to 2007-08 core programme levels;</p> <p >Top slicing commitments (a…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the criteria for making funding allocations to housing associations were changed from approvals to completions.
Answer · Alex Neil: There has been no change to the criteria for making funding allocations to housing associations of the kind referred to in the question. This year, as with previous years, registered social landlords are issued with programme agreements at the beginning of th…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the comparison between the allocated grant and the uptake of grant under the Housing Association Grant scheme in each of the last three years for which information is available, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Alex Neil: The details of the comparison between Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) funding allocated and actual spend achieved, broken down by local authority is as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=635 > <thead> <tr > …
8 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (b) Scottish Enterprise must seek its approval for their policies for undertaking rent reviews of commercial premises leased by them to businesses.
Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Government electricity policy was discussed by the Council at its sixth meeting on 15 May 2009.</p> <p >At the fifth meeting, in January 2009, the key sector, financial and business services, was discussed by the Council.</p> <p >The most recent re…
23 Apr 2009 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.
Answer · Alex Salmond : <i> This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0430-01.htm">http://www.scott…
20 Apr 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of bullying have been raised by NHS employees under the dignity at work programme and how many of them have been upheld in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Employment matters, such as incidences of bullying, are a matter of delegated authority for NHS employers.</p> <p >Although the Scottish Government does not hold this information at a national level, the staff survey, carried out by the Staff Governance team…
15 Apr 2009 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.
Answer · Alex Salmond: <i> This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0423-01.htm">http://www.scott…