Parliamentary questions
Jeremy Purvis
909 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3M-26789 by John Swinney on 8 September 2009, how much of the accelerated capital programme funding for 2009-10 has been spent, in terms of money having been transferred from Scottish Government accounts, also showing where the money has been received a…
Answer · John Swinney: The decision to accelerate spending was taken in order to speed progress on a range of specific projects, and work is continuing to deliver these projects. The associated spending is being committed in accordance with government procurement and accounting pro…
9 Sep 2009 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government intends to halt the growth in public sector jobs as part of its 2010-11 budget.
Answer · Alex Salmond: <i >This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0917-01.htm">http://www.scott…
9 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times since May 2007 its officials have held meetings with government ministers from other countries, broken down by country and date of meeting, also showing a summary of the topics of discussions.
8 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times its officials have held meetings with government ministers from other countries since May 2007, broken down by (a) country and (b) date of meeting and showing a summary of the topics of the discussions.
Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish Government officials do not routinely hold meetings with government ministers from other countries and no central record of this information is held. However, the table following lists those meetings for which the Scottish Government''s International…
3 Sep 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long it considers surveillance material of lawful demonstrations and gatherings should be retained by the police.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Decisions relating to the retention of intelligence material are made by individual police forces on a case by case basis, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and associated guidance.</p>
31 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what formal definition is used to assess whether projects are (a) in procurement, (b) approaching procurement and (c) in prospect.
Answer · John Swinney: The definition consistently used for projects (a) in procurement, is when a project has been advertised to the market by being published in the <i >Official Journal of the European Union</i> to invite a tendering process. For (b) approaching procurement, this…
31 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which capital investment projects are (a) under construction, (b) in procurement, (c) approaching procurement and (d) in prospect.
Answer · John Swinney: We have a considerable capital investment programme of £10.5 billion over the current spending review period from 2008-09 to 2010-11.</p> <p >Projects where the Scottish Government is providing all or part funding, and which have a significant capital value …
31 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available on the impact on the economy of the accelerated capital programme.
Answer · John Swinney: Estimates of the impact of the accelerated capital programme on the economy have been produced using the Scottish Government input-output model. This information was presented in <i >Preparing for Recovery: Update on the Scottish Economic Recovery Programme</…
31 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to publish a full assessment of the impact on the economy of the accelerated capital programme, including job creation and public service delivery.
Answer · John Swinney: The accelerated capital spending programme is distributed across key areas of government expenditure, with a considerable proportion of the programme being taken forward by local authorities, and public sector agencies. As well as supporting jobs through maxi…
31 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what independent mechanisms are in place to measure the impact on the economy of the accelerated capital programme, including job creation and public service delivery.
Answer · John Swinney: The accelerated capital spending programme is distributed across key areas of government expenditure, with a considerable amount of the programme being taken forward by local authorities, and public sector agencies.</p> <p >Each area of the Scottish Governme…
31 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what systems are in place to track spending on the accelerated capital programme.
Answer · John Swinney: All expenditure is monitored by portfolio Finance Teams on a regular monthly basis and reported in the consolidated accounts annually.</p>
31 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the accelerated capital programme funding for 2009-10 has been (a) spent and (b) committed.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26789 on 8 September 2009. 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/App…
31 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the accelerated capital programme funding for 2009-10 has been (a) spent and (b) committed, also showing where the money has been spent.
Answer · John Swinney: To date all of the £294 million 2009-10 capital acceleration has been committed. Accelerated funding has so far been spent on a range of initiatives including Park and Ride projects, major road infrastructure projects, Fife Energy Park and Affordable Housing …
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many public bodies have been created or become operational in the last two years, showing employment figures and staff costs.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26488, on 28 October 2009. 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/App…
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which public sector bodies it does not consider to be quangos.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26488, on 28 October 2009. 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/App…
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it classifies NHS bodies as public sector bodies and, if not, under what category it does so.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26488, on 28 October 2009. 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/App…
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of employment in public sector bodies was in each of the last two years, broken down by (a) executive agencies, (b) non-ministerial departments, (c) public corporations, (d) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPB), (e) advisory NDPBs, (f) tribunals, (g) commissioners…
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26488, on 28 October 2009. 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/App…
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed by public sector bodies in each quarter of the last three years, broken down by (a) executive agencies, (b) non-ministerial departments, (c) public corporations, (d) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPB), (e) advisory NDPBs, (f) tribunals, (g) commi…
Answer · John Swinney: I wrote to the member on the 26 October 2009, and have placed a copy of the requested information in the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre (Bib. number 49498).</p>
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its civil servants have lodged formal grievances or complaints in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) type of grievance or complaint and (b) directorate.
Answer · John Swinney: There have been 11 Dignity at Work complaints within the core Scottish Government since September 2006. Dignity at Work is the generic term under which complaints of bullying and harassment can be made. The Scottish Government does not hold central records of…
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each member of staff of the Scottish Futures Trust receives in (a) salary, (b) pension entitlement and (c) bonuses.
Answer · John Swinney: I have asked Barry White, Chief Executive of the Scottish Futures Trust, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >On the question of (a) salary, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25137 on 10 September 2009. All answers to written parlia…
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis it considers that the gap between Scotland’s best and worst performing regions will narrow by 2017.
Answer · John Swinney: The Cohesion target, as set out in the <i >Government Economic Strategy</i>, is aimed at addressing the serious inequalities that exist between the economic performance of different regions within Scotland. The target seeks to narrow the gap in labour market …
14 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis it considers that the GDP growth rate will rise to the UK level by 2011.
Answer · John Swinney: The 2011 GDP growth target “ to raise Scotland''s GDP growth rate to the UK level “ is intended to address the long-term structural gap between GDP growth performance in Scotland and the UK. </p> <p >The gap in annual GDP growth rates (to the latest quarter)…
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Futures Trust has had responsibility for or input into the construction of the buildings or infrastructure projects featured in photographs on its website.
Answer · John Swinney: I have asked Barry White, Chief Executive of the Scottish Futures Trust to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) clearly states on each page of its website (see link below) that Images on this website are of recent Sco…
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the targets in local authorities’ single outcome agreements should correspond with the targets and indicators in Scotland Performs.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26449 on 8 September 2009. 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/App…
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to link local authorities’ single outcome agreements more closely with the targets and indicators in Scotland Performs.
Answer · John Swinney: Public services in Scotland are now focussed on one over-arching Purpose, high level Purpose Targets and 15 National Outcomes. Progress is reported at that national level through Scotland Performs, with the 45 National Indicators providing an overall summary …
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the rates of compliance with prompt-payment clauses in public contracts.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26447 on 8 September 2009. 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/App…
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of payment times in publicly funded subcontract chains.
Answer · John Swinney: No formal assessment has been undertaken, although it is reasonable to assume that general business concerns regarding prompt payment also apply in the case of public sector supply chains. The Scottish Government''s own standard terms and conditions of contra…
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that businesses in publicly funded subcontract chains receive payment within a maximum of 30 days.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has revised its standard terms and conditions of contract to require that valid invoices are paid within 30 days of receipt throughout the sub-contract chain.</p>
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25580 by John Swinney on 29 July 2009, what action will be taken if local authorities’ reports to the Scottish Government on their contribution to the achievement of national and local outcomes highlighted in their single outcome agreements do not in…
Answer · John Swinney: Outcome focused planning and delivery of services is a shared ambition of national and local government who are committed to working together to seek to resolve problems jointly. Partnerships working with the Scottish Government, will use the reports to under…
13 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25580 by John Swinney on 29 July 2009, how it will respond to local authorities’ reports on their contribution to the achievement of national and local outcomes highlighted in their single outcome agreements and whether the responses will be in the p…
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26443 on 8 September 2009. 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/App…