Parliamentary questions
George Foulkes
1,927 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what outside advice it has commissioned in connection with Taking Forward the Scottish Futures Trust.
Answer · John Swinney: <i >Taking Forward the Scottish Futures Trust</i> (Bib. number 45605) was produced by the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) delivery team and was endorsed by the Scottish Futures Trust steering group. The delivery team included professional advice from Partnership…
21 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the differences are between funding through PPP and the Scottish Futures Trust.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) is different and better than the standard form of PFI funding in three ways. Firstly, SFT will have at its core the non-profit distributing model of finance. This removes the equity element of PFI funding which is the part of …
21 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rail projects it proposes to be financed by the Scottish Futures Trust.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13264 on 3 June 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/webapp/w…
21 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what form of governance and democratic accountability is proposed in respect of the Scottish Futures Trust.
Answer · John Swinney: In announcing the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) we published our intentions in the document <i >Taking Forward the Scottish Futures Trust </i>(Bib. number 45605). An infrastructure board for Scotland is envisaged made up of senior representatives from across t…
21 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all schools will be funded by the Scottish Futures Trust when it becomes operational.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13264 on 3 June 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/webapp/w…
21 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which types of hospital projects will be financed by the Scottish Futures Trust.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13264 on 3 June 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/webapp/wa…
21 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all road and bridge projects will be funded by the Scottish Futures Trust when it becomes operational.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government announced on 20 May the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) initiative to be supported by a new company established in the public sector. The SFT company will be formed this summer and will work with the public sector and market. One of its o…
21 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any backbench MSPs have attended or observed any cabinet meetings 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/we…
20 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12917 by Kenny MacAskill on 20 May 2008, how much grant-in-aid it has allocated to the Scottish Police Services Authority for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Police Services Authority has been allocated grant-in-aid of £83.6 million in 2008-09. It has also been given a provisional allocation of £84.2 million in 2009-10 and £84.7 million in 2010-11 but these figures should be considered to be indicativ…
20 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12920 by Kenny MacAskill on 20 May 2008, how much dedicated funding it has allocated for counter terrorism for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has already allocated £12 million dedicated funding to the Scottish police for counter terrorism this financial year and we are considering proposals for additional funding. This funding is in addition to funding allocated by individua…
20 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure the ethical procurement of its goods and services.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has issued guidance on fair and ethical trading to public sector buyers. Suppliers to the Scottish public sector are expected to maintain high standards of business and professional conduct e.g. in relation to legislative requirements …
20 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that all procurement by (a) local authorities, (b) NHS boards and (c) it takes account of the Fairtrade Foundation’s principles regarding employment and human rights.
Answer · John Swinney: Guidance has been issued to all public bodies in Scotland which explains how the principles of fair trade and ethical trading can be supported in public procurement, for example by working with suppliers after contracts have been awarded. Guidance has also be…
16 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there are any problems with the system of funding allocation to police boards for DNA testing.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13110 on 27 May 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/webapp/…
16 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the way that money is allocated to police boards for DNA testing.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13110 on 27 May 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/webapp/…
16 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money the Scottish Police Services Authority (a) budgeted for and (b) spent on DNA testing in each of the last five financial years, broken down by police board.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13110 on 27 May 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/webapp/w…
16 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money the Scottish Police Services Authority has allocated to DNA testing for 2008-09.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) provides forensic science services, including DNA testing, to Scottish police forces. SPSA has allocated £24.4 million for forensic services in 2008-09 compared to £23.3 million in 2007-08. Information about how m…
16 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11865 by John Swinney on 14 May 2008, whether it will provide the information on the public bodies, groups or committees to enable it to be published in the Official Report, in addition to its publication on the Scottish Government’s website.
Answer · John Swinney: The information requested has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45758).</p> <p >Details have also been placed on the Scottish Government website at:</p> <p ><a href="www.scotland.gov.uk/consultative-groups">www.scotland.…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed the non-financial costs to the environment of the total or partial loss of the honey-bee population.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has not assessed the non-financial costs to the environment of the total or partial loss of the honey-bee population. We are, however, aware of the important role they play in pollinating crops as well as our wild or native plants.</p>…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have local design review panels.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Architecture and Design Scotland has a national responsibility to carry out design review, generally on projects of strategic significance, and this is set out in <i >Scottish Planning Policy 20</i>.</p> <p >It is for local authorities to determine the need …
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the regulations and procedures are for the suspension of police officers and what roles (a) chief constables, (b) police boards and (c) the Executive play in such suspensions.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Detailed rules for the suspension of officers below the rank of Assistant Chief Constable are set out in the Police (Conduct) (Scotland) Regulations 1996. Police boards and Scottish ministers have no role in the suspension of officers below the rank of Assist…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers are currently under suspension and how long each has been suspended, broken down by force, and what action is being taken to bring each suspension to an end.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that the governance of private educational institutions is in accordance with democratic principles.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scotland has a wide range of education institutions which are either wholly private or which operate with a substantial degree of autonomy and independence.</p> <p >The Scottish Government has no locus over the governance arrangements of wholly private inst…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to encourage full participation by women in public and political life.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11628 on 23 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/webapp…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) average and (b) median times are for fully recovering student loan repayments, expressed in years and days.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is not possible to provide details on the actual time taken for graduates to repay as the majority of borrowers still have outstanding loans. However, a forecast of the average and median times to repay can be estimated using the student loan model. The mo…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest total is of outstanding student loans in Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Statistics on student loans for higher education in Scotland are published on the internet on an annual basis. The balance of outstanding student loans in Scotland (including those not yet due for repayment) at the end of financial year 2006-07 was £1.8 billi…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many women prisoners have children under (a) 16 and (b) five years old.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The information requested is not recorded centrally.</p>
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the collection of litter from trunk roads.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The responsibility for clearing litter on trunk roads, with the exception of motorways and special roads, rests with the relevant local authority. Significant efforts are made to co-ordinate local authority litter operations with other works carried out by th…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to monitoring the progress of polyclinics in England and their extension to Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We have no plans to introduce polyclinics in Scotland. The <i >Better Health, Better Care Action Plan</i>, published in December 2007, sets out our objectives to improve access in primary care settings in Scotland.</p> <p >We are working with the existing mo…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Scotland are on the organ transplant list and what the median waiting times are for transplants for each major organ of the body.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of patients resident in Scotland listed in the UK for an organ transplant and the median waiting time, in days, on the active list, for adults in the UK, is as follows.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td wi…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what further discussions it has had with the UK Government and the Organ Donation Taskforce, chaired by Elizabeth Buggins, regarding progress on increasing organ donation and the opt-out option.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I met Mrs Elizabeth Buggins last month, along with Chris Rudge, in his new role as National Clinical Director for Transplantation in England. The meeting gave me an opportunity to express my commitment to the implementation for Scotland of all the recommendat…