Parliamentary questions
George Foulkes
1,927 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when (a) ministers and (b) officials have met UK ministers or officials from the Home Office to discuss identity cards and what concerns were expressed at the meetings.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Ministers have been in communication with the Home Office both by telephone and by letter throughout the year. These communications have explored the implications for Scotland of the National Identity Scheme and latterly, the launch of ID cards for foreign na…
20 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many officials were involved in the preparation of the speech on identity cards delivered by Fergus Ewing on 19 November 2008 (Official Report c. 12499) and from which directorate.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: One official, from the Public Service Reform Directorate, Identity and Privacy Policy Branch, prepared the speech, supported by two members of that Branch.</p>
20 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9955 by John Swinney on 3 March 2008, what the turnover of staff has been in the private office of the (a) First Minister, (b) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, (c) Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, (d) Cabinet Secretar…
Answer · John Swinney: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47096 ).</p>
20 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15009 by Fergus Ewing on Wednesday 3 September 2008, whether it will list the occasions on which each minister has met Mr Osama Saeed of the Scottish Islamic Foundation in that or any other capacity, also showing the location of the meeting and what …
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15009 on 3 September 2008. 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 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the oil fund study referred to by the First Minister on BBC Scotland’s Politics Show on Sunday 8 June 2008 was set up; who sits on the body; whether the minutes are publicly available; what the budget is, and when it expects to report to the Parliament.
Answer · John Swinney: The report is being compiled internally by officials in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser. There are no additional budgetary costs. The work is ongoing and will report to the Parliament in due course.</p>
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the rise and fall in the oil price; how that information is relayed to ministers, and at what frequency and level of detail.
Answer · John Swinney: Government Officials monitor changes in the price of oil on a daily basis and report changes to ministers, normally on a weekly basis. If significant variations occur then they are informed more frequently.</p>
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17101 by Stewart Stevenson on 12 November 2008, whether it will list each occasion on which Scottish ministers have met the British Transport Police since May 2007, also showing what topics were discussed and who was present on each occasion.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers have met British Transport Police (BTP) on the following occasions:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p >Meeting Date</p> </td> <td valign=top > <p >Present</p> </td>…
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline its policy on publishing answers to parliamentary questions, with particular regard to the media.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Parliament is responsible for formally publishing answers to parliamentary questions, which appear on its website. With regard to the media, the Scottish Government established a process shortly after the creation of the Scottish Parliament where all parl…
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail all occasions when Cabinet ministers, including the First Minister, have met newspaper editors since May 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47031).</p>
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances it meets dry cleaning costs incurred by Cabinet ministers and whether it will detail any such costs met since May 2007, broken down by Cabinet minister.
Answer · John Swinney: There have been no dry cleaning costs incurred by Cabinet ministers since May 2007.</p>
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which members of the Scottish Government have received the services of a stylist since May 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: None.</p>
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many official engagements each minister has undertaken since May 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: The records that the Scottish Government holds centrally show that there has been over 18,000 engagements recorded since May 2007. Over 10,000 of these were official engagements held outwith the Scottish Government estate.</p>
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the public speaking engagements for each Scottish minister since May 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: The information sought could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p>
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the dates of meetings of the committees and sub-committees of the Cabinet since May 2007.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: Information relating to current Cabinet Sub-Committees, including meeting dates, is available on the Scottish Government website and can be accessed using the following link:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/CabinetSub-Committees">http…
14 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the committees and sub-committees of the Cabinet and the membership of each.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: Information relating to current Cabinet sub-committees is available on the Scottish Government website and can be accessed using the following link:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/CabinetSub-Committees">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Abo…
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Cabinet meetings each law officer has attended since May 2007.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: I refer to the member to the answer to question S3W-12165 on 30 April 2008. 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 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to involve former MSPs in its work.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government is committed to involving the whole of Scottish society in its work, and does so through mechanisms such as public consultation and by drawing on the specialist knowledge and expertise which particular individuals with experience of th…
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from funeral directors since May 2007 regarding disposal of unclaimed ashes and what action it has taken.
Answer · John Swinney: Neither I nor my officials are aware of any representations from funeral directors regarding disposal of unclaimed ashes.</p>
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many concessionary bus passes were issued by each local authority in each year since 2005.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The issuing of national entitlement cards is the responsibility of each local authority. Any available information relating to card issue statistics by year may be held by them.</b></p> <p >Transport Scotland does not hold this level of information but I can…
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to examine whether Essex County Council’s scheme of support to post offices might be replicated in Scotland.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable social role of post offices, particularly in deprived and remote areas of Scotland. Due to their reserved nature, postal services and post offices cannot be directly funded by Scottish ministers. I understand th…
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the number of school meals provided in each school in each of the last three years.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The information regarding number of school meals provided per school is routinely published on the Scottish Government website and can be found via the following link:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/Scho…
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it proposes to report to the Parliament on the outcome of the National Conversation.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The National Conversation is intended to give the people of Scotland the opportunity to debate, reflect and then decide on Scotland''s future in a referendum to be held in 2010. Parliament will be responsible for debating and agreeing the necessary legislatio…
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many judges and sheriffs appointed since May 2007 were educated principally at private schools.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The schools attended by applicants is not information that is required to be provided on application for judicial office and is a matter for the individuals concerned.</p> <p >The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the report of the Organ Donation Taskforce, chaired by Elizabeth Buggins, in relation to changing the presumption on organ donation.
Answer · Shona Robison: The UK Organ Donation Taskforce published its second report, looking at the impact on organ donation in the UK of a switch to a system of opting out, on Monday 17 November 2008. The Scottish Government''s response was set out in a news release issued in my na…
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what official engagements were undertaken by each member of the Cabinet between 1 October and 6 November 2008.
Answer · John Swinney: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47030).</p>
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what official journeys have been undertaken by the First Minister by train or bus since 1 September 2008.
Answer · John Swinney: The First Minister has undertaken no official journeys by bus or train since 1 September 2008.</p>
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received since May 2007 from charities and voluntary organisations regarding the operation of charity law in relation to private schools.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has not had any representation from charities or voluntary organisations since May 2007 regarding the operation of charity law in relation to private schools.</p>
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place since May 2007 between ministers and representatives of individual private schools and bodies representing private schools and what subjects were discussed at those meetings.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The following table sets out the requested details of such meetings.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p align=center >Minister</p> </td> <td valign=top > <p align=center >Date</p> </t…
13 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much radioactive waste from Hunterston B and Torness power stations has been sent to England for storage since May 2007.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) authorises disposals of radioactive waste for treatment, storage and disposal from sites in Scotland, including Hunterston B and Torness, under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. Copies of these authorisatio…
30 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements exist for the simultaneous upgrading of electronic interconnectors between Scotland and England following devolution.
Answer · Jim Mather: The relevant transmission licensees, in this case Scottish Power Transmission and National Grid, are responsible for liaising together to identify possible upgrades to the electricity interconnector system.</p> <p >A detailed technical and economic case is …