Parliamentary questions

Derek Brownlee

680 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

23 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any changes are expected to the remit or timing of the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Strategic Transport ProjectsReview (STPR) commenced in August 2006 and is due to report during summer 2008.This review will identify a programme of transport interventions for 2012 to 2022that will tackle congestion, improve connections and reduce journey…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what new or additional actions it plans to take to support the Crichton Campus in Dumfries.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Funding Councilis working with the Crichton partners and local stakeholders to develop anacademic strategy for the Crichton Campus which will best meet the academic andeconomic needs of Dumfries and Galloway. The Scottish Executive is an active m…

17 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what promotional items were distributed as part of the campaign to raise awareness of the elections on 3 May 2007; how many of each item were (a) purchased and (b) distributed, and what the total cost was of (i) purchase and (ii) distribution of each item.

Answer · John Swinney: Please see the following tablewhich details promotional items distributed, how many items were purchased, thecost of purchase and cost of distribution by the Scottish Executive:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> …

17 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on promotional material and items as part of the campaign to raise awareness of the elections on 3 May 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Executive spent£65,402.00 on promotional material and items as part of the campaign to raise awarenessof the elections on 3 May 2007.The promotional items listedwere only a small part of the marketing communications about the election. The…

17 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for exemption from the notification procedure for marches have been received since the publication of Review of Marches and Parades in Scotland - Guidance for Scottish Local Authorities in December 2006; from which local authorities and on what date each application …

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No applications have been received.

21 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it assesses the value for money of its spending on recruitment advertising.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has acentral contract for the supply of recruitment advertising services. To ensuregood value for money the contract was let by competitive tender and theprocurement process followed the general principles of European UnionProcurement D…

21 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent by the Executive and its agencies on advertising job vacancies in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Since 2000 the total amountspent on recruitment advertising in the Scottish Executive and its agencies isdetailed in the following table. Figures are not available for 1999.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=66 valign=…

23 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29259 by Mr Tom McCabe on 7 November 2006, whether it will provide a breakdown of the payments made under the category “other” to Holyrood Communications in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information sought is asfollows:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom>   </td> <td nowrap valign=bottom> 2004-05 </td> <td nowrap valign=bottom> …

22 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29102 by Ross Finnie on 13 November 2006, how many people were employed in the (a) fishing, (b) farming and (c) manufacturing sector in (i) 1997, (ii) 1999 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (1) Scottish parliamen…

Answer · Ross Finnie: 1. The number of people employedin sea fishing broken down by enterprise company area and local authority area inthe South of Scotland for the years 1997, 1999 and 2005 (latest data available)are given in the following tables. Figures are not available by Sco…

21 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29675 by Mr Tom McCabe on 17 November 2006, how many new efficiency projects it has (a) identified and (b) implemented since November 2005 and what the total value is of those projects.

Answer · Tom McCabe: In my answer to question S2W-29675I directed Mr Mather to the Executive’s website where detail of all efficiency projectscan be viewed:<ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/03/31095821/0">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/03/3…

21 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what software the Scottish Assessors have purchased in the last year and what software is under consideration for purchase.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I am advised that the ScottishAssessors have purchased software for routine maintenance purposes of the counciltax lists and non domestic valuation rolls in the past year. The detail of currentand future purchases is a matter for the assessors.

17 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the First Minister’s statement on 16 November 2006 that a reduction in corporation tax in Scotland from 30% to 12.5% would cost £1.4 billion (Official Report c. 29395), how, and from which data sources, that figure was calculated.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Government Expenditure and Revenuesin Scotland 2003-04 estimates receipts from corporation tax in Scotland at £2.4billion. The £1.4 billion figure results from dividing this by the current rateand multiplying by the proposed rate.

17 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the First Minister’s statement on 16 November 2006 that a reduction in corporation tax in Scotland from 30% to 12.5% would cost £1.4 billion (Official Report c. 29395), what other data it holds, or is aware of, on the yield in Scotland from (a) corporation tax, (b) income tax,…

Answer · Tom McCabe: This information can be foundin the annual Scottish Executive publication, Government Expenditure and Revenuein Scotland (GERS). The most recent publication contains data for 2003-04 butthe next updated version with 2004-05 data is due to be published …

10 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance on spending that might be seen to be promoting the political interests of a pressure group or similar body it has issued to accountable officers.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Guidance for Accountable Officersis contained in the Scottish Public Finance Manual and the Memorandumfrom the Principal Accountable Officer to Accountable Officers. The memorandumforms part of the accountability section of the man…

10 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance on spending that might be seen to be promoting the political interests of a particular political party or group of parties it has issued to accountable officers.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Guidance for Accountable Officersis contained in the Scottish Public Finance Manual and the Memorandumfrom the Principal Accountable Officer to Accountable Officers. The memorandumforms part of the accountability section of the manual whi…

8 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has given to the Local Government Finance Review Committee throughout its inquiry.

Answer · George Lyon: Because there are still a numberof outstanding invoices, it is not possible to give a final figure for thecommittee’s costs during the period of its inquiry, from its establishment in June2004 to the publication of its report on 9 November 2006.The committee …

7 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new efficiency programmes it has (a) identified and (b) implemented since November 2005.

Answer · Tom McCabe: We have only one efficiencyprogramme in Scotland, and we are now in the second year of that three yearprogramme. As part of the Efficient Government initiative we have identified 71projects, so far, with the total value for these efficiency projects standinga…

7 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its programmes did not perform well in each year since 2004-05; what these programmes were, and what the total spend was for each such programme.

Answer · Tom McCabe: All programmes are open toaudit by Audit Scotland and scrutiny by the Committees of this Parliament,where issues about performance can be explored fully.Draft Budget 2007-08:Final Report on Spending Review 2002 Targets, published on 8 September …

7 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cultural successes there have been in each year from 2003-04 and what these successes were.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: In 2004, the Executiveintroduced a target to increase the number of cultural successes by 3% by end March2008. The following table details the cultural successes for 2004-05 and 2005-06against this target, covering Scottish artists,born or resident in Scotlan…

7 Nov 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Scottish Parliament, (ii) the Executive, (iii) local authorities, (iv) other public sector organisations or bodies and (v) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Interests of Members of the Scottis…

Answer · George Reid: Projected costs in theFinancial Memorandum to the Interests of Members of the Scottish ParliamentBill were –Costs to the Scottish ParliamentThe Interests of Members of the Scottish Parliament Act 2006 is explained and amplified in the Code ofCon…

7 Nov 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Scottish Parliament, (ii) the Scottish Executive, (iii) local authorities, (iv) other public sector organisations or bodies and (v) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Scottish Parliamentary Stan…

Answer · John Scott: The Financial Memorandum tothe Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Act 2002 stated that thecosts to the Scottish Parliament, including initial set up costs, would notexceed £100,000 per year.The member will be awarethat the statutory role of …

3 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006 were pr…

Answer · George Lyon: The Financial Memorandum tothe bill is available on the Scottish Parliament's website. Most of theprovisions the act will not take effect before 2007 and some much later. Actualcostings are not therefore available yet.

3 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Act 2006 were projected to be in the Estimate of Expense…

Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-29585 on 8 December 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

3 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 were projected to be in the Financial …

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Financial Memorandum to thebill is available on the Scottish Parliament’s website. The act received Royal assentJuly 2006. Actual costings are not therefore available yet.

3 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 were projected to be i…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Financial Memorandum to thebill is available on the Scottish Parliament’s website. The act received Royal Assentin July 2006. Actual costings are not therefore available yet.

3 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Senior Judiciary (Vacancies and Incapacity) (Scotland) Act 2006 were projected to be…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Financial Memorandum to thebill is available on the Parliament’s website. No costs have been incurred as aresult of the act.

3 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 were projected to be in the Financi…

Answer · Robert Brown: The Financial Memorandum tothe bill is available on the Scottish Parliament's website. The first sectionsof the act commenced in September 2006. Actual costings are not thereforeavailable yet.

3 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Act 2006 were projected to be in the Estimate of Expense a…

3 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Edinburgh Tram (Line 2) Act 2006 were projected to be in the Estimate of Expense and…

3 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 were projected to be in the Financial Memorandum to…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Financial Memorandum to thebill is available on the Scottish Parliament’s website. The act came into forcein September 2006. Actual costings are not therefore available yet.