Parliamentary questions
Rob Gibson
971 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs will be of Highlands and Islands Enterprise rebranding its local enterprise companies in the style of HIE Moray.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The rebranding by Highlands andIslands Enterprise of its local enterprise companies is an operational matterfor them.</p>
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidelines to enterprise agencies and other non-departmental public bodies and Executive agencies set a minimum distance for any relocation of offices and units.
Answer · George Lyon: There is no minimum distancefor the relocation of offices and units. Relocation decisions are based on the analysisof socio-economic factors and the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisationconcerned.</p>
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are issued to enterprise agencies on decentralising the location of their offices.
Answer · George Lyon: The Executive works closely withlocal authorities and local enterprise companies on decentralising the locationof their offices. Guidelines is set out in the Relocation Guide which availableon the Executive’s relocation website:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotl…
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average wage of the working population is in (a) Easter Ross, (b) east Sutherland, (c) east Caithness and (d) Inverness.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The preferred source for earningsestimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is carried outby the Office for National Statistics. The latest earnings ASHE estimates availableare for April 2005.</p><p>Estimates are not available forthe s…
6 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits will accrue to the non-urban parts of the proposed city regions as Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise reduce the numbers of local enterprise companies in their portfolios.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The number of LECs in the ScottishEnterprise area will remain unchanged and there has been a reduction of one LECin the Highlands and islands Enterprise area. This change made by Highlands andIslands Enterprise (HIE) reflects more accurately patterns of econo…
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to expand the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative further, following the recent addition of £250,000 to its budget.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We are fully committed to fundingthe Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative. On the 16 May, I announcedan additional £3 million for years 2006-07 and 2007-08.</p>
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it has measured the success of the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executivecommissioned an independent review of the Scottish Community and HouseholderRenewables Initiative last year to evaluate its performance from its inceptionin 2002 to May 2005. The review was completed in November 2005. We arecurrently con…
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many crofters have exercised the right to buy their crofts on (a) estates owned by the Executive, (b) privately owned estates and (c) community owned estates.
Answer · Ross Finnie: A total of 382 crofters have exercised their right to buy their crofts directly from Scottish ministers since the enactment of the Crofting Reform Act 1976, which conferred new rights on crofters to acquire subjects tenanted or occupied by them.</p> <p>The Ex…
20 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to offer concessionary fares on buses, trains, ferries and air services in an integrated fashion.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Scottish ministers are able byorder to make National Concessionary Travel Schemes. This power is contained inSection 40 (1) of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005.</p>
20 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the usage of trains from Caithness stations will be monitored following any introduction of concessionary air fares from Wick airport.
Answer · Tavish Scott: First ScotRail is obliged underits franchise contract to provide patronage data to Transport Scotland. TransportScotland is currently in discussions with First ScotRail to identify improvementsin the efficiency of patronage monitoring, including options for a…
20 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans have been made to extend any concessionary travel by air from Caithness to include concessionary travel by rail from Wick, Thurso and other stations on the Far North Line.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The aid of a social characterscheme, which I announced on 13 February and which offers eligible residents reductionson some air fares, applies only to air travel. We have no plans to extend the schemeto rail.</p>
17 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the sources of public support provided for harbours and piers in the Highlands and Islands have been in each financial year since 1999.
Answer · Tavish Scott: In each year since 1999, harbourauthorities in the Highlands and Islands have been eligible to apply for grants from the ScottishExecutive for various purposes under national Piers and Harbours Grant Schemes,from local authorities, the European Regional Devel…
17 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Health and Community Care will meet me to discuss the financial and clinical governance of NHS Western Isles and, if so, when.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Officials in the Health Departmentare in close touch with the board, including the chair and the Chief Executive.I know from the annual review meeting with the board last September, and from regularupdates I receive, that NHS Western Isles is working hard to …
17 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in advance of the publication of the Crofting Reform Bill, it will respond in detail to comments made in submissions by many respondents to the recent consultation that do not directly answer the set questions.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: It would be impractical to respondin detail to every individual response to a consultation. We do consider all responsesthat we receive and did try to address these views within the analysis of the consultationand the final bill.</p><p>All respondents receive…
9 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for reappointing the Chair of NHS Western Isles without advertising the post.
Answer · Andy Kerr: In accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland (OCPAS) Code of Practice an individual may be re-appointed to their position, without going to a public advertisement, subject to a satisfactory performance assessment.</p>
9 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22411 by Tavish Scott on 30 January 2006, what the costs were of the improvements to the A99 from Latheron to John O’ Groats and to the A9 from (a) Ardullie to Logie Easter and (b) Garrick Bridge to Dornoch junction.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Records of some of theseconstruction schemes are no longer available. Records that are available showthat the improvement between Broomhill and Logie Easter opened in 1993, cost£9.43 million at 2005 equivalent value.</p><p>Transport Scotland hasthe operationa…
9 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22411 by Tavish Scott on 30 January 2006, what the completion dates were of the 10 projects listed.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The completion dates for the10 projects referred to are listed:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p>Kessock Bridge </p> </td> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p>1982</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom>…
1 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22327 by Ross Finnie on 25 January 2006, whether there is any mechanism by which it could purchase “those areas of inshore waters and seabed vested in the Crown Estate” on behalf of local communities.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22827 on 28 February 2006. The Scottish ministers may only act in a way consonant with the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament in this respect.</p> <p>All answers to written parliamentary question…
1 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22327 by Ross Finnie on 25 January 2006, whether there is any mechanism by which it could introduce legislation to take over ownership of any of “those areas of inshore waters and seabed vested in the Crown Estate”.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Whilst it may be possible, in some circumstances, for part of the Crown Estate to be made subject to powers of compulsory acquisition incidental to, and so far as necessary for, a devolved purpose, legislation to appropriate areas of inshore waters and seabed…
31 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been reached to roll out the Youth Music Initiative to all school students throughout their school years.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Youth Music Initiative (YMI) “P6 target” stated that, by 2006, all schoolchildren should have had access to a year’s free music tuition by the time they reached P6. In addition, during the initial target period, funds have been made available to develop p…
31 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12394 by Ms Patricia Ferguson on 9 December 2004, what stage the evaluation of the Youth Music Initiative has reached.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Arts Council has recently commissioned an independent evaluation of the Youth Music Initiative from 2003 to 2006. The evaluation is being carried out by the Centre for Public Policy, Northumbria University. This is expected to be completed by the…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which body or bodies provide ethical oversight of decisions taken in respect of research uses of DNA samples and profiles obtained by the police in Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish DNA Database does not allow any research to be carried out on the DNA samples and profiles it holds that are collected by the police in Scotland.</p> <p>The National DNA Database does not hold any DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland, …
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on research projects which have been (a) approved and (b) refused by the National DNA Database, broken down by (i) title of project, (ii) types of data sought and used and (iii) institution and investigators conducting the research.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is aware of nine research requests that have been approved by the National DNA Database. Information is not held on the title of these projects or about which institution and investigators conducted the research. Some information, which was supp…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the intellectual property rights are assigned in respect of DNA sequences in samples collected by the police in Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive understands that there are no intellectual property rights relating to DNA sequences in samples collected by the police in Scotland. Intellectual property rights are associated with the techniques used to process the samples when genera…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which companies have undertaken research projects using DNA profiles or samples collected by the police in Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No companies have undertaken research projects using DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland. No research is carried out on the profiles and samples which are held by the Scottish DNA Database and it does not export samples to the National DNA Databas…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which universities have undertaken research projects using DNA profiles or samples collected by the police in Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No universities have undertaken research projects using DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland. No research is carried out on the profiles and samples which are held by the Scottish DNA Database and it does not export samples to the National DNA Data…
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using DNA samples collected by the police in Scotland.</p>
30 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using the database since 1995.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No suppliers of DNA profiles from Scotland to the National DNA Database have undertaken research projects using the database.</p>
25 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to deliver its commitment to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development to increase the area of forestry certified to the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Under the current Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme, support is provided to woodland owners and managers to carry out survey, planning and monitoring work on, for example, landscape design, low-impact silviculture, recreational management and archaeology. In ad…
18 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) soft wood and (b) hardwood trees have been, or will be, planted by (i) Forest Enterprise and (ii) private forestry estates in each year from 2000 to 2030.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The tables provide the information requested plus the area in hectares. The information is provided in quinquennial tranches (apart from 2000-06 and 2027-30) and the figures are average annual planting statistics.</p> <p>The figures cover new planting and re…