Parliamentary questions
George Foulkes
1,927 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what amount has been budgeted for the cost of the Shirley McKie inquiry and from which budget it will be financed.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to answer to question S3W-10920 on 14 March 2008. Planning and preparatory work for the inquiry is taking place under the guidance of Lord Justice Campbell. That work includes dialogue with the Scottish Government about budgetary matters. F…
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to change the fabric of Bute House and what the estimated cost of that work is expected to be.
Answer · John Swinney: No decisions have been made to change the fabric of Bute House. However, the Scottish Government acknowledge that a long term strategy is required to maintain and conserve the house. Decisions on this will be made in due course.</p>
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made to (a) the catering arrangements, (b) security and (c) other services at Bute House since May 2007 and what expenditure there has been on the fabric of the building since then.
Answer · John Swinney: The only change that has been made in these areas, other than changes to personnel, relates to catering arrangements. Catering for cabinet meetings and smaller events involving the First Minister is now carried out under the Scottish Government catering contr…
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided for research into Alzheimer’s disease.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Government has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO supports research projects of a sufficiently high standard initiated by the resea…
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Home Office on immigration rules and legislation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Representations to the Home Office on immigration rules and legislation have covered six broad subjects: the points based immigration rules, asylum seekers and the rights children, the displacement of UK medical graduates, academic visitors to Scotland, citiz…
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have been held between the Scottish Prison Commission and members of prison visiting committees.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11615 on 28 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…
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations and individuals have submitted evidence to the Scottish Prison Commission.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is available from the independent Scottish Prison Commission''s website at <a href="http://www.scottishprisonscommission.info/">www.scottishprisonscommission.info</a>.</p>
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why, according to the Scottish Government’s website, the Scottish Prison Commission has not met this year.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The independent Scottish Prison Commission''s website, now gives details of its meetings since it was set up in September 2007. <a href="http://www.scottishprisonscommission.info/">www.scottishprisonscommission.info</a>.</p>
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what views were expressed to it by the Scottish Prison Commission on the extension of Community Service Orders.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Appointments to the Scottish Prisons Commission had yet to be made when consultations took place in summer 2007 as part of the review of community penalties. It was not therefore possible for the Commission to offer views.</p>
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contracts for the provision of new prison places have been approved since 3 May 2007.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >There have been no new contracts for the provision of prison places since 3 May 2007, however, the contract with Addiewell Prison Services…
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison places there (a) were on 3 May 2007 and (b) are currently, broken down by gender.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The following table shows the design capacity of the SPS for male and female prisoner places in May 2007 and April 2008.</p> <table…
4 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations have been consulted regarding the extension of Community Service Orders.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A series of bilateral and multilateral meetings between officials and a range of organisations covering the key interests in the community penalties field, were held over the summer of 2007. A full list of the organisations involved is set out at Annex B of <…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between ministers and representatives of Morton Assets at (a) Straiton Business Park, (b) Manuel Works, Linlithgow and (c) Mortonhall, Edinburgh and who represented Morston Assets at each of these meetings.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No such meetings have taken place since 3 May 2007.</p>
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any meetings between ministers and representatives of Morston Assets included the Joint Founder of Morston.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No such meetings have taken place since 3 May 2007.</p>
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between ministers and representatives of Morston Assets regarding the planning application for a sustainable community in Whitecross and the alteration of the Falkirk Structure Plan.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No such meetings have taken place since 3 May 2007.</p>
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether approval has been given to the alteration of the Falkirk Structure Plan to allow the new Whitecross sustainable community to go ahead.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Falkirk Council Structure Plan 2007 was approved by the Scottish ministers in January 2007. The plan identifies the former Manuel works at Whitecross as a strategic development opportunity where there will be housing-led regeneration.</p>
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many comments have been removed from the National Conversation website after initially being published and what the reasons were for their removal.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Comments on the National Conversation website are pre-moderated, and are subject to on-going review. Since the launch of the website in August 2007, 41 comments have been removed after publication as part of this process, following reconsideration against the…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it appropriate for a government website to promote flag burning.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government website does not promote the activity described.</p>
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider increasing the level of resources allocated to the moderation of the National Conversation website.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is no current proposal to increase the level of resources allocated to the moderation of the National Conversation website.</p>
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many unique visitors the National Conversation website has had from overseas IP addresses.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-7812 on 10 January 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/webap…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many unique visitors the National Conversation website has had.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of unique visitors to the National Conversation website up to 14 April has been 59,554. There have been 353,061 hits on National Conversation themed web pages; the white paper has been viewed 28,340 times online, and 3,559 comments have been posted…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines racism within the context of the National Conversation.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government defines racism within the context of the National Conversation in the same way as it is defined for all its activities “ that racism can be indirect, direct or institutional. Racism is unacceptable in any context no matter who it is pe…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what equal opportunities policies are applied to the administration and moderation of the National Conversation website.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11333 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…
25 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are currently in place to moderate comments on the National Conversation website.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government officials pre-moderate comments on the National Conversation website in line with the moderating criteria referred to in the answer to question S3W-11333 on 23 April 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the…
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9289 by Stewart Stevenson on 21 February 2008, what the reasons are for the continuing delay to the completion of the West Edinburgh Planning Framework.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Further to my answer to question S3W-9289 regarding preparation of the West Edinburgh Planning Framework, issues regarding transport components have been particularly complex. However, officials are now in agreement as to a way forward and the document will p…
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to prevent any future loss of data from its departments or agencies.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government (SG) is currently reviewing its data handling arrangements in line with a similar UK exercise. A working group under the Director-General Justice is directing this review in which the data handling processes at all public sector bodies…
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what disciplinary action it would take against any person or department responsible for losing its data.
Answer · John Swinney: In such instances an investigative process would take place with any disciplinary action dependant upon the outcome of the investigation.</p>
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures its departments and agencies have in place for the storage and use of data.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government (SG) applies relevant government, UK and European standards and methodologies in the design, development and use of its information technology systems including the storage and use of the data held within these systems.</p> <p >These …
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place for tracing and retrieving lost data from the computers of its departments or agencies.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government (SG) IT division has technical utility software which can be used to recover deleted data in certain circumstances. There are also commercial companies who specialise in the recovery of data.</p> <p >SG networked PCs are configured to…
4 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any information held in laptops lost or stolen from its departments or agencies since May 2007 posed a threat to public safety or national security.
Answer · John Swinney: We are not aware of any laptops lost or stolen since May 2007 containing any information which might pose a threat to public safety or national security.</p>