Parliamentary questions
Tavish Scott
2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional teachers are required to meet its P1 to P3 class-size reduction commitments, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Adam Ingram: We have signed an historic concordat with local government under which year on year progress will be made in reducing primary 1 to primary 3 classes to a maximum of 18. The rate and scale of progress will vary between local authorities and it is for individua…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that NHS boards comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), it is the responsibility of all NHS boards to support their staff to identify, understand and remove the barriers facing disabled people when they use NHS services. In recognition of the relationship between the …
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which public bodies, other than central and local government, have responsibility for implementing the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which is reserved to Westminster, protects disabled people from discrimination in employment, access to goods, facilities and services, the buying, renting or selling of land or property, education and the exercise of p…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, following the publication of the COSLA Guide to Legislation and Guidance Paper, Disability Equality and Scottish Local Authorities: Access to Services, when implementing the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The research report <i >Disability Equality and Scottish Local Authorities: Access to Services</i>, was published in July 2005, prior to the introduction of the public sector duty to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people, which came into force i…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with CBI Scotland, the Federation of Small Business (Scotland), Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Scottish Council for Development and Industry or the Institute of Directors (Scotland) to ask them to organise trade missions to accompany ministers overseas as part …
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11087 on 16 April 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many private sector businesspeople based in Scotland will accompany the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism on trade missions when he participates in business events in Washington, California and Texas during Scotland Week 2008.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11087 on 16 April 2008. 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…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many private sector businesspeople based in Scotland will accompany the First Minister on a trade mission when he participates in roundtable meetings for the life sciences and financial services industries in New York during Scotland Week 2008.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11087 on 16 April 2008. 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…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many private sector businesspeople based in Scotland will accompany the First Minister on a trade mission when he hosts the Scottish Development International/VisitScotland - Business First reception in New York, during Scotland Week 2008.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11087 on 16 April 2008. 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…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many private sector businesspeople based in Scotland will accompany the First Minister on a trade mission for his Tartan Day reception with the Friends of Scotland Congressional Caucus on Capitol Hill, Washington DC, during Scotland Week 2008.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11087 on 16 April 2008. 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…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many private sector businesspeople based in Scotland will accompany the First Minister on a trade mission for his meeting with the President of the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington DC during Scotland Week 2008.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11087 on 16 April 2008. 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…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the recommendation in the European and External Relations Committee’s 1st Report 2005 on its inquiry into the promotion of Scotland worldwide that ministers should endeavour to co-ordinate more trade and cultural missions when making ministerial visits overseas.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: Scotland Week provides a significant opportunity to highlight Scotland as a dynamic market with great investment potential. The Scottish Government''s international framework is due to be published later this month and will highlight the potential for a more …
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what commitment it has given to implementing the independent regulatory review group’s recommenations or advice on the cost implications to business of implementing the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The independent regulatory review group has not made any recommendations or offered advice on the cost implications of implementing the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. Should it do so, ministers will consider any recommendations carefully before considering wh…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to encourage crofters and farmers in the Highlands and Islands to maintain and expand their beef cattle herds.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Support is already provided for farmers and crofters in the Highlands and Islands through, for example, the single farm payment and the less favoured area support scheme. The Scottish Beef Calf Scheme (SBCS) provides specific support for the beef sector and w…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the impact on the environment in the highlands and islands of the grazing of marginal land by beef cattle and, if so, what the findings were.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: While we have not made a specific assessment of the impact on the environment in the Highlands and Islands of the grazing of marginal land by beef cattle, a number of studies have shown that appropriate grazing by livestock maintains a range of habitats which…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the impact of the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme on the numbers of beef cattle kept in the highlands and islands and, if so, what the findings were.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has commissioned the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) to evaluate the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme. The SAC has yet to report on its findings.</p>
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: No decisions have been taken on the future of the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme and none will be taken ahead of the CAP health check. There will be full consultation on all aspects of the CAP health check after the commission''s legislative proposals are publishe…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the need to continue the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Representations on the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme have been received from the Scottish Crofting Foundation and the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers.</p>
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to implement the recommendations of the Sullivan Report following the integration of the Scottish Building Standards Agency within the Executive.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The work programme commenced by the Scottish Building Standards Agency will continue to be taken forward by Scottish building standards, a part of the directorate for the built environment. Working party meetings with the industry have already begun to consid…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the new skills agency will play in the sector skills agreement and action plan for the building services engineering industry in Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The sector skills agreement for the building services engineering industry in Scotland will be launched on 17 April by SummitSkills, the sector skills council for the sector.</p> <p >The agreement includes an action plan for the sector. SummitSkills will be …
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the concerns in the construction industry about the adequacy of the business impact assessment carried out by the UK Government in respect of withdrawal of the exemption for National Insurance contribution-free holiday pay for construction industry operatives and, i…
Answer · Jim Mather: Any concerns that the construction industry in Scotland may have about the business impact assessment associated with the withdrawal of the exemption for National Insurance contribution-free holiday pay for the sector, have not been raised directly with the S…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had ministerial discussions, or made any representations on behalf of Scottish business, in respect of the UK Government’s withdrawal of the exemption for National Insurance contribution-free holiday pay for construction industry operatives.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has not had ministerial discussions or made any representations on behalf of Scottish business in respect of the withdrawal of the exemption for National Insurance contribution-free holiday pay for the construction industry.</p> <p >I…
17 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it endorses the Construction Licensing Executive and its role in driving best business practice.
Answer · Jim Mather: We support the work of the Construction Licensing Executive (CLE) in its efforts to isolate rogue traders and promote best practice in the Scottish construction industry. We have also liaised with the CLE and others in the development of a trusted trader appr…
14 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Rural Development Programme budget will be devolved to local project assessment committees and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The budget for the Scotland Rural Development Programme will be managed and monitored at a national level. This approach has been adopted to ensure that funding is directed to those proposals that make the greatest contribution to the achievement of the agree…
14 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who will determine whether an application under the Scottish Rural Development Programme meets the “national” criteria.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Funding under the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) will be delivered through eight separate delivery mechanisms. A number of these mechanisms (e.g. Less Favoured Area Support Scheme) are non-competitive and therefore anyone who meets the predetermi…
14 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it approved the pay settlements now being introduced for Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) staff; how many SEPA staff have been served notices intimating that they must agree to new terms and conditions otherwise they will cease to be SEPA staff, and whether these pay …
Answer · Michael Russell: It is the responsibility of the Scottish Government to set the broad policy framework for public sector pay in Scotland and, as with other bodies within the public sector in Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is required to submit ann…
12 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria (a) have been and (b) will be used when calculating the most recent allocation of LEADER programme funds to be made to each of the local action groups that applied for funding.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: 80% of the funding allocated to LEADER local action groups (LAGs) is formula-based. The other 20% is discretionary, and is allocated on the basis of the LAGs' local development strategy.</p> <p >For the 80% tranche, the allocation is proportionate to an area…
12 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment on 10 March 2008 on the allocations of £38.5 million and £19.2 million funding from the LEADER programme, what the value was of each (a) bid submitted by local action groups in application for that fu…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Under the Scotland rural development programme, some £38.5 million is available for LEADER throughout Scotland, and an additional £19.2 million will be made available to the Highlands and Islands in convergence funding. Thus far, £31.75 million out of the £38…
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it gave its approval to the introduction by NorthLink Ferries of a requirement for passengers to provide photo ID before they board its ferries.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No. It is for individual ferry companies to take their own decisions on such operational matters.</p>
6 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why NorthLink Ferries is introducing a requirement for passengers to provide photo ID before they board its ferries, whereas CalMac is not introducing such a requirement on any of its ferry services.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I understand that NorthLink Ferries Ltd has taken the view that this measure is necessary to ensure the safety and security of its passengers, crew and vessels as part of its wider approach to security, health and safety issues. I also understand that CalMac …
11 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to support Business in the Parliament in addition to the National Economic Forum.
Answer · John Swinney: The government sees the Business in the Parliament as complementary to the National Economic Forum. The former is a partnership event, between the Scottish Government and the Parliament, which aims to facilitate engagement between Scotland''s businesses and p…