Questions · George Foulkes

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made in the ministerial activities of the Minister for Housing and Communities to contribute to its climate change targets.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29958 on 14 January 2010. 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/Apps…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made in the ministerial activities of the Minister for Public Health and Sport to contribute to its climate change targets.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29958 on 14 January 2010. 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/Apps…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made in the ministerial activities of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to contribute to its climate change targets..

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29958 on 14 January 2010. 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/Apps…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made in the ministerial activities of the Minister for Parliamentary Business to contribute to its climate change targets.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29958 on 14 January 2010. 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/Apps…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made in the ministerial activities of the Minister for Culture and External Affairs to contribute to its climate change targets.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29958 on 14 January 2010. 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/Apps…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made in the ministerial activities of the First Minister to contribute to its climate change targets.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 creates the long-term statutory framework for addressing climate change in Scotland, in particular the imperative of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Action is already being taken across many ministerial portfolios to …

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total production cost was of Your Scotland, Your Voice: A National Conversation; how many copies were printed, and to whom they were distributed.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government produced 2,250 copies of Your Scotland, Your Voice. The total cost for the production, publication and distribution of the White Paper was approximately £50,000. All public libraries in Scotland received copies, as did…

4 Dec 2009 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what contracts it has in place for the maintenance of (a) lighting and (b) carpets.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: Lighting maintenance is covered within the current building maintenance contract. The SPCB has a contract for carpet supply and installation with MJM Flooring (Scotland) Ltd. The replacement of carpets can also be procured through the building maintenance co…

4 Dec 2009 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide the (a) terms, (b) cost and (c) cost overrun of the Norland Managed Services contract in each of the last five years.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: The terms of the Norland Managed Services contract will be provided on request to Procurement Services. The cost of the Norland Managed Services contract is published on the Parliament''s website and updated quarterly. Detailed below is t…

4 Dec 2009 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the cost of each contract is for window (a) cleaning, (b) repair, (c) maintenance and (d) other work to keep the building wind and watertight for the next eight years.

Answer · Alex Johnstone: Cleaning and coating of window frames, along with any other minor works required to keep the building wind and watertight, will be a requirement of the new high level fabric maintenance contract. The SPCB is currently undertaking a tender exercise to…

4 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) rules govern and (b) guidance it gives to public bodies entering into confidentiality agreements with banks and other bodies regarding the expenditure of public money.

Answer · John Swinney: Financial services, including investment business, banking and deposit-taking, collective investment schemes and insurance is a reserved matter in accordance with Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998. Guidance on the banking arrangements that should b…

4 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the value was of each tender for the new Southern General Hospital; what due diligence was carried out on each tenderer, and whether concerns have been expressed to the Scottish Executive regarding the successful tenderer.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The detailed process to evaluate the bids submitted was set out to all bidders prior to their preparing bids. The requirement to select the successful bidder was on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). This required the board to cons…

4 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it expects NHS boards to provide to severely disabled children with serious health problems living at home and whether each board satisfies its requirements.

Answer · Shona Robison: In line with the Getting it Right for Every Child approach, and in partnership with local authorities, the third sector and other relevant partners, the Scottish Government expects NHS boards to provide appropriate, timely and flexible support to severely dis…

4 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken or is proposed in relation to the letter from Alan Blackshaw to Sir John Elvidge of 27 November 2009 regarding possible unauthorised use of grant-in-aid by Highland and Islands Enterprise on the Cairngorm funicular project, as referred to in the Public Audit Com…

Answer · Jim Mather: Highlands and Islands Enterprise is responsible for determining best value in the allocation of its resources consistent with delivery of the objectives and priorities agreed with Scottish ministers and set out in its Corporate Plan. I have written to HIE''s …

4 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward arrangements to ensure that funding given to universities is subject to scrutiny by the Auditor General for Scotland and the Public Audit Committee.

Answer · Michael Russell: Those arrangements already exist. Scottish Government core funding for higher education institutions is provided through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). The SFC has a remit to ensure that institutions are making proper arrangements for financial managemen…

4 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the First Minister was over two hours late for the opening of the latest stage of developments at Burns Cottage.

Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister was not late to this event. He arrived at 13:15, the arrival time agreed in advance with the organisers.

4 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions since May 2007 the First Minister has arrived more than half an hour late for a public engagement.

Answer · John Swinney: Under successive administrations it has not been customary to keep a record of arrival times at events by the First Minister.

30 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people held on remand had no fixed abode and what percentage of the total number of prisoners on remand this was in each year since 2005, broken down by prison.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The information requested is shown in the following table. This gives the snapshot population at the end of June in each ye…

30 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people serving a prison sentence had no fixed abode and what percentage of the total prison population this was in each year since 2005, broken down by prison.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The information requested is shown in the following table. This gives the snapshot population at the end of June in each ye…

19 Nov 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has had with the Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution regarding the costs involved in preparing for the proposed Referendum Bill.

Answer · John Swinney: As with any matter relating to the draft budget I have a number of discussions with the relevant portfolio minister in the course of the budget process.

18 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it collects information regarding the nationality of prisoners; if not, whether it plans to collect such information in the future, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: The SPS routinely collects information regarding foreign national prisoners.

18 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants from other EU states are serving a community service order, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

18 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants from other EU states are serving a custodial sentence, broken down by institution.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top >   </td> <td valign=t…

30 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in relation to the City of Edinburgh Council’s decision to freeze direct payments.

Answer · Shona Robison: Edinburgh Council are reconsidering their decision to freeze all Direct Payments. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28531 on 19 November 2009. Scottish Government guidance emphasises that direct payments should be available t…

30 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the City of Edinburgh Council’s decision to freeze direct payments is legal.

Answer · Shona Robison: Local authorities have a duty under the 1968 act to assess the community care needs of people and decide in the light of the assessment whether they should arrange any services and if so which services. Since June 2003, this has included a duty to offer direc…

29 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between the Auditor General for Scotland and ministers since May 2007 and what subjects were discussed.

Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is set out in the following table: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=157 nowrap valign=bottom > Minister </td> <td width=96 nowrap valign=bottom > <p …

29 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what items of expenditure it has incurred without parliamentary authority since May 2007 and for what reasons these contingency powers were used in each case.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Public Finance Manual details the procedures to be followed where the Scottish Government proposes to undertake expenditure without the authority of a Budget Act These procedures have not been invoked and so no items of expenditure have …

29 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason GPs are charging up to £150 for vaccinations for people who are going to Malawi and other countries on aid programmes.

Answer · Shona Robison: The arrangements for general practice in the National Health Service are set out in the NHS (General Medical Services Contracts)(Scotland) Regulations 2004. These provide that a general practitioner may not demand or accept a fee from a person on their patien…

28 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between ministers and the Presiding Officers regarding procedures of the Scottish Parliament.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Minister for Parliamentary Business meets the Presiding Officer on a regular basis to discuss a range of parliamentary matters, including parliamentary procedures.

28 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contractual responsibilities the Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Executive has apart from his work for the Scottish Government.

Answer · John Swinney: In common with other permanent secretaries, the employment contract for the Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government does not specify detailed functions or responsibilities, apart from the accountable officer role.