Parliamentary questions
Tavish Scott
2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
28 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor the impact on economic growth at (a) Scotland-wide and (b) local authority level of its plans to reduce business rates for small businesses.
Answer · John Swinney: Once the SmallBusiness Bonus Scheme is fully implemented, we will be in a position to assessits impact on increasing sustainable economic growth. We currently have nospecific plans to monitor that impact at local authority level.</p><p>I refer themember to th…
28 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on economic growth of its plans to reduce business rates for small businesses and whether it will publish any such assessment.
Answer · John Swinney: As outlined inour Government Economic Strategy, lower business taxation is part of a broaderpackage of measures that have a track record internationally of creating asupportive business environment and of increasing sustainable economic growth. Wewill be in a…
21 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional investment it will provide for the development of sport in Shetland in the years leading up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Glasgow 2014 CommonwealthGames offer an unrivalled opportunity to inspire a new generation to take up sportand to be physically active. Within 100 days of the announcement of the decisionto host the games in Glasgow, we will publish for consultation an in…
21 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for (a) maintaining existing and (b) building new sports facilities in Shetland to accommodate teams that use the area as a training base in the lead-up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: It is a statutoryresponsibility of local authorities to provide adequate sporting facilities in theirarea, maintaining existing facilities and building new facilities as dictated bythe needs of the community.</p><p>The Scottish Governmentwould like as many te…
21 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage competing nations to use Shetland as a training base in the lead-up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmentwould like as many teams as possible to base a training camp in Scotland prior to the 2014 Commonwealth Games. We will build onwork already being done to ensure as many Scottish facilities as possible are usedas training camps in the le…
21 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legacy the 2014 Commonwealth Games will leave for Shetland.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmenthas a very clear commitment to ensuring that the whole of Scotland benefits from the Commonwealth Games in 2014.</p><p>We will work withrelevant agencies and local authorities to ensure that, Scottish businesses arewell-placed to bid fo…
21 Nov 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on school closures.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We are committed totightening the regulations around all school closures and to introducing a legislativepresumption against the closure of rural schools. Statute prescribes that decisionson individual school closure cases are for local authorities to take. L…
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the changes are from the 2007-08 baseline for each proposed budget line at levels (a) one, (b) two and (c) three of the First Minister portfolio resulting from Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007, expressed in real (i) cash and (ii) percentage terms for each year of the spending re…
Answer · John Swinney: The informationrequested for levels one and two is given in Draft Budget 2008-09: Real TermsAnalysis, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 44133.)</p>
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, after agreeing to the funding package endorsed by the Scottish Government and COSLA on local government finance, there would be any financial consequences for a local authority that implemented a council tax freeze for only one year.
Answer · John Swinney: The joint ScottishGovernment and COSLA concordat covers the three years of the Spending Review 2007period (2008-11) and puts in place sufficient resources to freeze council tax ratesat 2007-08 levels.</p>
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding will be allocated to each local authority over the next three years if they do not agree to the funding package endorsed by the Scottish Government and COSLA on local government finance and what the percentage difference would be from the funding provided for each lo…
Answer · John Swinney: Individual local authorityallocations will be announced in mid-December, following further discussions withCOSLA.</p>
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding will be allocated to each local authority over the next three years if they agree to the funding package endorsed by the Scottish Government and COSLA on local government finance and what the percentage difference would be from the funding provided for each local aut…
Answer · John Swinney: Individual local authorityallocations will be announced in mid-December, following further discussions withCOSLA.</p>
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has allocated for drug services, including treatment, rehabilitation and education, in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 at 2007 prices, including any funding allocated to local authorities in the local government settlement.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The drugs misuse budgetwithin the Justice portfolio is £29.5 million/£32.0 million/£32.8 million (£28.7million/£30.3 million/£30.3 million at 2007 prices) for the period 2008-9 to2010-11. This budget is used to provide ring-fenced funding to health boards tod…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on all drug services, including treatment, rehabilitation and education, in 2007-08.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: A number of budgetlines across the Scottish Government provide resources for tackling drug misusein 2007-08.</p><p>£31.7 million wasallocated from the Justice portfolio in 2007-08. Of this, £23.7 million was allocatedto NHS health boards for drug treatment an…
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether further negotiations will be required between it and local authorities to agree council tax freezes in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Answer · John Swinney: The joint ScottishGovernment and COSLA concordat covers the three years of the Spending Review 2007period (2008-11). As part of the Concordat, the Cabinet Secretary for Educationand Lifelong Learning and I will meet the COSLA Presidential Team every two month…
12 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth meant when he advised the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee on 7 November 2007 that the headquarters of Scottish Enterprise at Atlantic Quay, Glasgow, would be part of a review of the Scottish Government’s assets (Official …
Answer · John Swinney: The asset review isbeing conducted on the Scottish Government estate, including non-departmental public bodies, agencies andother associated bodies. The reviewtherefore includes Scottish Enterprise’s headquarters at Atlantic Quay.</p>
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will agree to the request by the leader of Glasgow City Council for the authority and budget to create a £250 million local economic development/regeneration agency for Glasgow.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Governmenthas not received such a formal request from the leader of Glasgow City Council.</p><p>We have announcedas part of the enterprise network reform that responsibility for local regenerationand local delivery of Business Gateway would trans…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the new Scottish Government Counsellor in North America will have and what is meant by the reference to “co-ordinating” in terms of his remit to co-ordinate the interests of Scottish bodies in North America.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish GovernmentCounsellor will have overall responsibility for the delivery of Scottishministers’ purpose and strategic objectives in North America. A key part of his role will be to work with the variouspublicly funded bodies that operate in North Am…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Scottish Development International retains its ability to identify companies ready to export or trade overseas if it and the enterprise agencies are no longer responsible for account managing companies identified through the Business Gateway service.
Answer · John Swinney: Scottish DevelopmentInternational will continue to lead in helping Scottish firms to export and tradeoverseas.</p>
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages local authorities having any direct role in attracting international inward investment within the reformed enterprise networks or whether this will remain the responsibility of Scottish Development International.
Answer · John Swinney: Scottish DevelopmentInternational will continue to take the lead in attracting inward investment toScotland.</p>
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it envisages Scottish Development International working more closely with VisitScotland and Executive officials operating internationally and what plans it has for any additional overseas postings, more co-location of offices and increased representation in other countries.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Governmenthas made clear that its top priority is to pursue sustained economic growth. Ourtrade and investment arm, Scottish Development International, has a key role toplay in delivering this objective and working with other Scottish Government …
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the position of Chief Executive of Scottish Development International will be filled and what form the recruitment process will take.
Answer · Jim Mather: Following therecent reforms and restructuring in the enterprise network, we will shortly beadvertising the post of Chief Executive of SDI. It will be a competition thatis open to members of the Civil Service and to staff of Scottish Enterprise andHighlands an…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Development International will remain a joint venture between the enterprise agencies and the Executive.
Answer · Jim Mather: ScottishDevelopment International will remain a joint venture between the ScottishGovernment and the enterprise agencies.</p>
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the transfer of services from the enterprise agencies to local authorities will be accompanied by the full level of funding currently available to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Answer · Jim Mather: The transfer of responsibilitiesfrom the enterprise networks to local authorities will mean some reallocation offunds. The detail of this will be decided when the exact nature of the activityto be transferred is determined, subject to the outcome of the recen…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated transition costs are for the reorganisation of the enterprise networks and what it estimates the net savings are from the abolition of separate local enterprise company boards and their associated governance arrangements.
Answer · Jim Mather: There will be somecosts associated with the implementation of the reforms. The amount of those costshas not yet been determined but every effort will be made to minimise them. Similarly,there will be savings achieved through more coherent and focused activity…
8 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether VisitScotland will have an enhanced role overseas in the promotion of tourism and what implications this will have for the relationship between VisitScotland and VisitBritain and the agreement on their respective roles in the promotion of Scotland overseas.
Answer · Jim Mather: VisitScotland’s mainrole is to lead in promoting Scotland as a tourism destination to potential visitorsfrom both overseas and within the UK. VisitScotland alsoworks closely with VisitBritain to promote Scotland, particularly in emerging overseas markets. To …
7 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5287 by Kenny MacAskill on 30 October 2007, when it expects to announce the result of ministers’ consideration of the review of civil legal aid fees being undertaken by the Scottish Legal Aid Board.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A draft report hasbeen received and recommendations for ministers are currently being prepared. Iexpect to receive these before the end of November and I hope to be able to makean announcement shortly thereafter.</p>
7 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many solicitors’ practices in each parliamentary region or postcode area undertook legal aid work that received fee payments (excluding VAT) from the Scottish Legal Aid Board for (a) criminal and (b) civil legal aid of (i) less than £25,000, (ii) from £25,000 to £50,000, (iii) from £…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The following tablesgive details of the fees paid to solicitors’ firms between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007 for civil legalaid, criminal legal aid, and children’s legal aid. A further table shows thefirms with all fees combined. All fee payments are excludi…
12 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is for the structure of police boards, with particular reference to the Northern Joint Police Board and Highland Constabulary.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The structure ofall police boards is set out in Amalgamation Scheme Orders. The Order forNorthern Joint Police Board came into force on 1 April 1996 and amalgamated the local government areas of Highland, Western Isles, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands int…
12 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the review group, chaired by an official of the Executive and involving all major aquaculture stakeholders, which is looking into the future of aquaculture planning controls and regulations and when the group is expected to report on the outcome of its work.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The remit of thereview panel is to provide views on individual cases to assist ScottishMinisters in reaching a decision on whether or not to grant planning permissionto a particular farm, either conditionally or unconditionally. There are around900 existing f…
12 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is with regard to the planning consents and association planning conditions that apply to existing fish farming sites.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministersare currently undertaking a review of existing marine fish farms to determinewhether or not to grant permanent planning permission to individual farms. Therelevant provisions were included in section 4 of Part 3 of the Planning etc (Scotland…