Parliamentary questions
Derek Brownlee
680 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many claims for compensation were made by (a) pupils, (b) staff and (c) others against local authorities for incidents occurring in schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The informationrequested is not collected centrally.</p>
10 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for refusing grants to companies under the regional selective assistance scheme if jobs are likely to be created regardless of the awarding of any such grant.
Answer · Jim Mather: The purpose of regional selectiveassistance (RSA) is to support viable projects that will strengthen theemployment base but might not, without support, take place within the assisted areasof Scotland, those areas designated for regional aid under European Com…
10 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it an appropriate use of public funds to award Morgan Stanley a grant worth £6 million under the regional selective assistance scheme, in light of the company’s net income.
Answer · Jim Mather: Yes. In the absence of taxpowers, regional selective assistance can be used to support businesses of allsizes provided projects satisfy the criteria of the scheme. The criteriainclude demonstrating the need for assistance to make the project happen in an assi…
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the potential savings of moving its recruitment advertising online.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Executivealready uses online recruitment advertising but Civil Service Commission rulesdo not permit it being used as the only advertising medium. The potential forshared online recruitment advertising across public bodies in Scotland isbeing stu…
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has made of the impact of EU state aid rules on the previous administration’s proposals to introduce business rate relief for investment in research and development.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Executive takesEC state aid rules into account with any proposed rates relief scheme.</p>
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what tax incentives it is considering offering to increase the level of investment in research and development.
Answer · John Swinney: We intend to introduce theSmall Business Bonus Scheme from 1 April 2008 which could potentially benefitthose small businesses engaged in research and development activities in Scotland andprovide the opportunity for them to increase their level of investment.…
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional staffing resources have been or will be provided to the Improving Regulation in Scotland unit.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-1710 on 20 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at </p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional financial resources have been or will be provided to the Improving Regulation in Scotland unit.
Answer · Jim Mather: I understand that ProfessorRussel Griggs, Chairman of the Regulatory Review Group, will be writing to meshortly to discuss the Group’s future role and activities.</p><p>The Improving RegulationUnit will be supporting the RRG in its work and it would be more a…
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed the impact on the economy, environment and road congestion of a reduction in the number of peak-time trains calling at North Berwick.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-1650 on 17 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support a reduction in the number of peak-time trains calling at North Berwick.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has no plans to consider a reduction in the number ofpeak time trains calling at North Berwick.</p>
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the case for, or implement an increase in, the frequency of off-peak trains from North Berwick to Edinburgh.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The <i>Scotland’sRailways</i> document sets out the vision for the short, medium and long term planfor railways in Scotland. The implementation plan contained in thedocument includes a short term aspiration to enhance services to North Berwick.</p><p>In addit…
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sets a minimum benefit to cost ratio for rail projects and, if so, what that level is.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executivedoes not set a minimum benefit to cost ratio for rail projects. Since 2001 it hasbeen a requirement that all transport projects, for which Scottish Executive supportor approval is required, be appraised in accordance with the Scottish Tr…
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which rail projects have been assessed since 1999 and what the benefit to cost ratio was for each.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The rail projects which havebeen assessed since rail powers were devolved to the Scottish Ministers aredetailed in the following table:</p><p>We would not hold the detailof projects assessed before rail powers were devolved.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 …
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which rail projects it is currently considering; what their status is, and what the estimated benefit to cost ratio is for each.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scotland’s Railways highlights the rail projects andaspirations currently being considered. They are part of an ongoing process andS3W-1647, answered on 24 July 2007 refers to the available benefit to cost ratios.</p><p>All answers to written ParliamentaryQue…
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it inherited from the previous administration for further extensions to the Borders railway.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No plans have beeninherited by the Scottish Executive from the previous administration for furtherextensions to the Borders railway.</p>
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund any projects assessed in the Strategic Transport Projects Review that do not meet the assessment criteria.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-1288 on 17 July 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider funding any projects not considered in the Strategic Transport Projects Review.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Projects that do notmeet the objectives and assessment criteria for the STPR will require further considerationbefore any funding by the Scottish Executive can be considered.</p>
20 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used under the Strategic Transport Projects Review to assess (a) road and (b) rail projects.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Options emerging fromthe STPR will be assessed against the Government’s strategic objectives and willbe formally appraised in accordance with the STAG (Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance) process.</p><p>Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility…
19 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each local authority area in the South of Scotland parliamentary region have been housed in temporary accommodation in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Shona Robison: The ScottishExecutive collects snapshot information on the number of households intemporary accommodation at the end of each quarter through the HL2 return. Thisrelates to households which have been placed in temporary accommodation by alocal authority under …
19 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were arrested for drug driving offences in the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary area in each of the last five years for which information is available.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the memberto the answer to question S2W-29652 on 21 November 2006. The Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary area is coterminous with theDumfries and Galloway local authority area.</p><p>All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the …
19 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 18 and (b) 18 and over were convicted of possession of an offensive weapon in the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary area in each of the last five years for which information is available.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available informationon persons with a charge proved in court is given in the following tables.</p><p>Persons AgedUnder 18 in Dumfries and Galloway Police Force Area with a Charge Proved in Court for Carrying Knives orPossessing an Offensive Weapon<sup>1<…
18 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of people were long-term unemployed in Scotland on the most recent date for which figures are available.
Answer · John Swinney: The Claimant Countgives the number of people claiming unemployment related benefits and is producedby the Office for National Statistics.</p><p>The following tableshows the number of long-term unemployed people claiming unemployment related benefitsin Scotlan…
18 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of people were long-term unemployed in each local authority area in the South of Scotland parliamentary region on the most recent date for which figures are available.
Answer · John Swinney: The Claimant Countgives the number of people claiming unemployment related benefits and is producedby the Office for National Statistics.</p><p>The following tableshows the number of long-term unemployed people claiming unemployment related benefitsin each lo…
18 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of people were long-term unemployed in each local authority ward in Dumfries and Galloway on the most recent date for which figures are available.
Answer · John Swinney: The Claimant Countgives the number of people claiming unemployment related benefits and is producedby the Office for National Statistics.</p><p>The following tableshows the number of long-term unemployed people claiming unemployment related benefitsin each co…
13 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will determine the application by Airtricity for its proposed Clyde Wind Farm.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Public LocalInquiry on the Clyde wind farm was concluded 13 October 2006. The Inquiry report was received by Executiveofficials on 8 June 2007. Following careful consideration of the reporter’srecommendations and any other material issues relevant to the …
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on pedestrian safety improvements on each trunk road in 2006.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Pedestrian safetyimprovements on trunk roads are delivered as an integral element of road safetyand road improvement schemes. It is not possible to quantify how much of theoverall spend relates to pedestrian safety.</p><p>Transport Scotland hasthe operational…
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on road safety improvements on each trunk road in 2006.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following tables show (a)how much has been spent on accident remedial schemes on each Trunk Road in financialyear 2006-07 and (b) how much has been spent in each Trunk Road Operating Companyarea on non-route specific safety improvements in financial year …
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on upgrading each trunk road in each year since 1999.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Details of expenditure on upgrading each trunk road in each year since 1999 are shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p align=center>Route</p> </td> <td valign=top> <p align=cent…
30 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal accidents there were on each trunk road in 2006.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The following table shows thenumber of fatal, serious and slight accidents on Scotland’s trunk roads in 2006.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p align=center>Route</p> </td> <td valign=bottom> …
24 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to increase the supply of affordable homes (a) for rent and (b) to buy in each local authority area in the South of Scotland region.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The budget set for the2007-08 affordable housing investment programme in the South of Scotland regionis set out in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=180 valign=top> <p>Local Authority</p> </td>…