Questions · Margaret Mitchell

21 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23595 by Kenny MacAskill on 6 May 2009, what determines the enforcement action of a warning letter for the non-payment of a fiscal fine.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: A warning letter for non-payment of a fiscal penalty is normally issued when payment first falls into arrears. Enforcement action will take account of the degree of contact that has taken place with the offender, the previous payment history of the offender a…

21 May 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its views are on the planned waste incinerator and recycling centre at Greengairs in North Lanarkshire in light of the area’s local plan.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government''s view is that the local planning authority, in this case North Lanarkshire, has determined the application in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. I understand that the council granted consent f…

6 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is in (a) staff time and (b) other costs of issuing a referral to court for non-payment of a fiscal fine.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information is not held centrally. It is not possible to disaggregate activity and cost to the level of detail sought. The processes for trawl of accounts in arrears and the issue of documents are automated.

6 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive after how many failed payments a case of non-payment of a fiscal fine is referred to court.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The enforcement action taken for fiscal penalties is not stipulated by a fixed number of failed payments. The normal process for enforcement of such penalties is as follows: Issue of a warning letter when payment falls into arrears; <p…

6 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is in (a) staff time and (b) other costs of issuing an enforcement order for non-payment of a fiscal fine.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information is not held centrally. It is not possible to disaggregate activity and cost to the level of detail sought. The processes for trawl of accounts in arrears and the issue of documents are automated.

6 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive after how many failed payments an enforcement order is issued for non-payment of a fiscal fine.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The enforcement action taken for fiscal penalties is not stipulated by a fixed number of failed payments. The normal process for enforcement of such penalties is as follows: Issue of a warning letter when payment falls into arrears; <p…

6 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is in (a) staff time and (b) other costs of issuing a warning letter for the non-payment of a fiscal fine.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information is not held centrally. It is not possible to disaggregate activity and cost to the level of detail sought. The processes for trawl of accounts in arrears and the issue of documents are automated.

6 May 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive after how many failed payments a warning letter is issued for non-payment of a fiscal fine.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The enforcement action taken for fiscal penalties is not stipulated by a fixed number of failed payments. The normal process for enforcement of such penalties is as follows: Issue of a warning letter when payment falls into arrears; <p…

14 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the cost would be of administering the funding allocation of the Fairer Scotland Fund from one main location on an annual basis.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Fairer Scotland Fund (FSF) is currently a ring-fenced element of the local government finance settlement. As such, there are no plans to estimate the cost of administering and investing the FSF centrally. Allocations from the FSF have been made t…

14 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has put in place to ensure that the highest possible percentage of the annual £145 million budget of the Fairer Scotland Fund reaches the intended recipients, such as voluntary organisations.

Answer · Alex Neil: By replacing seven separate funds with the Fairer Scotland Fund (FSF), we have enabled Community Planning Partnerships (CPP) to reduce costs associated with administration and reporting. It is for each CPP to decide how best to invest its award from the FSF. …

14 Apr 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the administrative costs incurred by each local authority in relation to the distribution of funds from the Fairer Scotland Fund to determine value for money.

Answer · Alex Neil: It is a matter for each local authority''s Community Planning Partnership to decide how much of its Fairer Scotland Fund award is used to cover administration costs.

30 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the running costs of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator have been in each year since 2005.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requested is given in the Annual Report and Accounts of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe). The Office of the Scottish Charity Reg…

30 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many days of continuing professional development courses and other training on dyslexia are provided to teachers per year.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This information is not held centrally. The arrangements for, and content of, continuing professional development are for teachers and their employers to determine. However, the Scottish Teacher Education Committee (STEC), comprising the Deans/H…

25 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reopen railway stations at (a) Grangemouth and (b) Bonnybridge.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22344 on 24 April 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/Apps2/…

25 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the reopening of railway stations at (a) Grangemouth and (b) Bonnybridge.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22344 on 24 April 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/Apps2/…

25 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons railway stations at (a) Grangemouth and (b) Bonnybridge were not included in the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The potential for a new railway station at Bonnybridge was specifically considered as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR). However, no proposal for Grangemouth emerged from the initial option generation exercise, nor was it proposed by any …

6 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the required timeframe is for Transport Scotland to make advance payments in connection with compulsory purchase orders.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Title to the land included in a compulsory purchase order is taken following the making of a General Vesting Declaration (GVD). Notice of the making of a GVD is served on the landowners specifying the date on which the land will vest in the Scottish ministers…

6 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget of Transport Scotland has been in each year since its formation.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland''s budget since its formation has been as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=71 valign=top > 2006-07 </td> <td width=100 valign=top > £1.909 billion </td> </tr> <tr…

6 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget of Transport Scotland will be in 2009-10.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland''s budget in 2009-10, as published in Scotland''s Budget Documents 2009-10: Budget (Scotland) Bill Supporting Document for the year ending 31 March 2010, will be £2.229 billion.