Tavish Scott

2 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated whether the higher fixed charges for business customers with medium-to large-si'ed water meters has caused any such customers to have smaller meters installed to the detriment of the water supply to fire hydrants on their premises.

Answer · Ross Finnie: <STRONG>This is a matter for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is:</STRONG><P>Any request by a customer to downsize their meter is evaluated by local staff as part of the business reviews Scottish Water is carrying out for businesses with medium-…

2 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why Scottish Water applies surface water collection charges to businesses that do not discharge any surface water into Scottish Water sewers in the north and the west of Scotland but does not apply such charges to such businesses in the east of Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is:<P>Each of the three authorities had their own charges scheme and charged differently for water services. In the former west and north areas the surface water drainage charge covered drain…

2 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what remuneration and allowances will be paid to (a) the Convener, (b) the Deputy Convener and (c) ordinary members of the Water Customer Consultation Panels.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The convener will receive remuneration of £12,740 per annum. The remuneration comprises a fixed annual payment of £500 plus £170 per day calculated on the basis of a time commitment of six days per month.<P>Panel members will receive remuneration of £3,380 pe…

2 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures, terms and conditions are to be followed by the Convener of the Water Customer Consultation Panels when appointing members of the panels and when such appointments are to be made.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The convener will make appointments to each panel in accordance with guidance from the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Prior to making the appointments the Convener must consult the Water Industry Commissioner and such bodies representing …

2 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for the appointment of the Convener of the Water Customer Consultation Panels and what progress has been made to date.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The appointment process for the position of Convener of the Water Customer Consultation Panels is nearing completion. Announcement of the successful candidate will be made shortly.

2 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has determined (a) how many Water Customer Consultation Panels will be set up and (b) the area to be covered by each such panel.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are to be five Water Customer Consultation Panels serving the following areas:<P>Scottish Islands - Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland.<P>North West Area - Highland, Moray (that part which is West of the River Spey), Argyll and Bute (that part which is …

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff (a) were employed in each North of Scotland Water Authority office at the time of the transfer of its duties to Scottish Water and (b) are currently employed in Scottish Water offices in the area formerly covered by the authority, broken down in each case into (…

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28107. 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/search_wa">…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff (a) were employed in each East of Scotland Water Authority office at the time of the transfer of its duties to Scottish Water and (b) are currently employed in Scottish Water offices in the area formerly covered by the authority, broken down in each case into (i…

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28107. 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/search_wa">…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the charges for business customers in the former North of Scotland Water Authority area for (a) water supply and (b) waste water services (i) were in each of the last three years of the authority's existence and (ii) have been in the current year under Scottish Water

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is:<P>Business charges for water and sewerage for the four years from 1999-2000 to the current year are as follows. <P>If the property does not have a meter, charges are based on the property…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the charges for business customers in the former West of Scotland Water Authority area for (a) water supply and (b) waste water services (i) were in each of the last three years of the authority's existence and (ii) have been in the current year under Scottish Water

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is:<P>Business charges for water and sewerage for the four years from 1999-2000 to the current year are as follows. <P>If the property does not have a meter, charges are based on the property…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the charges for business customers in the former East of Scotland Water Authority area for (a) water supply and (b) waste water services (i) were in each of the last three years of the authority's existence and (ii) have been in the current year under Scottish Water.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is:<P>Business charges for water and sewerage for the four years from 1999-2000 to the current year are as follows. <P>If the property does not have a meter:<P>Since 1999-2000, unmetered wate…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about any developments in respect of the European Commission's proposals for legislation controlling the presence of GM seeds in the seed of conventional species.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Commission published interim measures in October 2000 for dealing with the issue of adventitious presence of GM seeds in conventional seed and has been working up draft proposals for legislative change. These proposals have evolved over time and have been…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was undertaken by Scottish Water with business customers in (a) the west, (b) the east and (c) the north of Scotland before water supply and waste water services charges for businesses in each of these former water authority areas were finalised.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is:<P>None. Scottish Water was not established until 1 April 2002. Charges schemes for 2002-03 had been developed by the three former water authorities in anticipation of the creation of Scot…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was undertaken by the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland with business customers in (a) the west, (b) the east and (c) the north of Scotland before water supply and waste water services charges for businesses in each of these former water authority areas were final…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Water Industry Commissioner does not consult specifically on the finalised water supply and waste water service charges from Scottish Water or the former water authorities.<P>The setting of charges falls as a consequence of the revenues cap agreed in the …

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff (a) were employed in each West of Scotland Water Authority office at the time of the transfer of its duties to Scottish Water and (b) are currently employed in Scottish Water offices in the area formerly covered by the authority, broken down in each case into (i…

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. The Chief Executive's response is as follows:<P>Scottish Water does not maintain comparative information on staffing of the former authorities and Scottish Wat…

22 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is with respect to designations under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has withdrawn the High Natural Dispersion Areas (HNDA) status for the coastal waters in the String, Kirkwall; Lerwick Harbour and the Minch, Stornoway. The consequence of this is that Scottish Water will provide secondary treatment for …

3 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost has been of its support for the national free concessionary travel scheme for blind people in each year for which figures are available.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The cost of the national free concessionary travel scheme for blind people is met from the Grant Aided Expenditure block allocation to local authorities. Local authority data returns on concessionary travel schemes do not separately identify these costs.

3 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many journeys were made by registered blind people under the national free concessionary travel scheme for blind people in each year for which figures are available, broken down by rail, bus, ferry and underground train services.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.

3 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it has excluded air travel between the islands and mainland from the national free concessionary travel scheme for blind people when the alternative transport service can be ferry trips of a much longer duration.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27320.

3 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to include air travel between the islands and mainland in any extended or new national free concessionary travel scheme for blind people.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The national free concessionary travel scheme for the blind is a voluntary partnership agreement between the Scottish Executive, local authorities, Strathclyde Passenger Transport and rail, bus and ferry operators. It is open to island councils to seek to enh…

3 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the cost of an extension of the national free concessionary travel scheme for blind people to cover air travel between the islands and the mainland.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No.

3 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the number of registered blind persons living in the islands who would benefit from the extension of the national free concessionary travel scheme for blind people to cover air travel between the islands and the mainland.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No.

25 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is making any progress towards simplifying the examination and pupil assessment systems.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is working with key stakeholders in education, business and the wider community to develop a simple, effective and easily understood examination and pupil assessment system for children of all ages.<P>In relation to younger children age…

12 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the recent Fisheries Council in Luxembourg.

Answer · Ross Finnie: discussion of proposals for the introduction of TACs and a licensing scheme to regulate deep-water fisheries; a policy debate on the Commission's cod and hake recovery proposals, and a presentation of the Commission's proposals for the reform of the Common Fi…

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its long-term plans are for the management of airports owned by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd will continue to operate within the public sector and the Scottish Executive will continue to ensure the efficient and effective use of public funds.

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would consider offering a local authority the opportunity to take over the management of airports owned by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd sited in the authority's area.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Scottish ministers have already considered but were not persuaded by the business case submitted by Shetland Islands Council for taking over responsibility of Sumburgh Airport. The Scottish Executive has no plans to seek such business cases from other authori…

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered any proposals to contract out the management of all or any of the airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and, if so, what proposals have been considered.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Scottish ministers considered but were not persuaded by the business case submitted by Shetland Islands Council for taking over responsibility for Sumburgh Airport. No other proposals have been made.

7 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) has had any discussions with Omniport plc about appointing that company to manage any of the airports operated by HIAL and what the outcome was of any such discussions.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Executive officials met representatives of Omniport in July 2001, at their request, when Omniport raised the issue of private sector involvement in the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL). No further meeting has been held and the …

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of abolishing tuition fees and reintroducing student bursaries on the number of school leavers attending higher education.

Answer · Iain Gray: It is too early to assess the impact of the new student support arrangements. There are, however, some encouraging trends in the most recent data which shows a steady growth in the proportion of school leavers entering higher education to 32%, an overall part…

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reform agri-environment support measures.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In light of the responses received to the recent consultation exercise on changes to improve the operation of existing agri-environment schemes in the short term, the Executive is considering early reforms to these schemes. As indicated in the consultation pa…