George Foulkes

17 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the reported comments by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to Portobello High School Parents Council on 14 January 2008 that City of Edinburgh Council does not need to present a business case or apply to the Scottish Government for funding for a new Portobello High Sch…

Answer · Maureen Watt: The ScottishGovernment, like the Scottish Executive before it, does not provide specificfunding for the rebuilding of individual schools. Under the local governmentsettlement the government makes capital resources available to authorities. Itis then for the a…

17 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the reported comments by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to Portobello High School Parents Council on 14 January 2008 that, as a result of the local government settlement, councils no longer apply to the Scottish Government for additional capital funding as they have…

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government, like the Scottish Executive before it, does not provide specific funding for the rebuilding of individual schools. Under the local government settlement the government makes capital resources available to authorities. It is then for t…

16 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the revenue generated by a reduced council tax discount on second homes remains ring-fenced for the purpose of affordable housing.

Answer · John Swinney: Yes. Localauthorities have the discretion to reduce or retain the council tax discount onsecond homes and long-term empty properties to between 10% and 50%. Theadditional income is retained locally and routed through registered sociallandlords for the provisi…

8 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total production costs were of the First Minister’s (a) Christmas message and (b) New Year message.

Answer · John Swinney: The Christmas message and theNew Year message were produced by the Scottish Government’s Video Production Unitin conjunction with the Communications Directorate’s Website Team as part of theirnormal duties. There was no separate budget allocation.</p>

7 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many equivalent police officer posts would be created if police officers were no longer required to undertake roadside checks, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 30 December 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-8225 on 15 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

7 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much police time would be freed up if police officers were no longer required to undertake roadside checks, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 30 December 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Although precise estimates are not available, VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) Area Managers have indicated that over 1,100 police officer days would be saved if policeofficers were no longer required to undertake roadside checks in Scotland, asis …

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what transfer of financial resources there has been from prison to community sentences and prevention of crime since May 2007 and what effect this has had on the projected prison population.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: None. Because of the required investment to make up for decades of neglect in the prison estate by previous administrations, and the unprecedented prisoner numbers, it has not been possible to transfer financial resources.</p>

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest cost of the Borders rail scheme is projected to be and whether it is appropriate to reconsider whether this represents value for money.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Exact costs cannot be disclosed as this would prejudice future commercial negotiations, however the project is estimated to cost £235 to £295 million (at quarter 4, 2012 prices). The significant level of benefits the project will deliver has been assessed aga…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of the Scottish Prison Commission’s recommendations it considers to have been implemented.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government published on 17 December 2008 its plans to deliver a coherent offender management strategy <i >Protecting Scotland''s Communities: Fair, Fast and Flexible Justice</i> at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/12/16132605…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions ministers have had with executives of Lloyds TSB following the approval by Lloyds TSB and HBOS shareholders of the proposed takeover and what its policy is on the takeover.

Answer · Jim Mather: Since the HBOS shareholders voted on 12 December in favour of the acquisition by Lloyds TSB, both the First Minister and John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth have spoken to senior executives of the new Lloyds Banking Group to…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many officials it provides credit cards to for payment of official expenses and purchases and what it estimates the total amount outstanding on all such cards to be.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government uses the Government Procurement Card (GPC), a branded Visa Purchasing Card that enables Public Sector buyers to benefit from cost and process efficiency savings in their purchasing of high-volume, lower-value goods and services (genera…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much is owed to the Public Works Loan Board for construction and how much interest is paid to the board.

Answer · John Swinney: Information in respect of Scottish local authorities is not held centrally. The only information held centrally is for Scottish Water. As at 31 March 2008, Scottish Water owed £259.87 million to the Public Works Loan Board and the interest payment due in 2008…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that it owes to suppliers for the provision of goods and services and what action it is taking to speed up payment.

Answer · John Swinney: The total value of invoices outstanding at 6 January 2009 was just under £800,000.</p> <p >Suppliers'' terms vary but are typically 30 days. The Scottish Government is committed to helping businesses by paying invoices early and, to that end, the First Minis…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it proposes for a period of purdah during the next UK general election.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: UK General elections and by-elections raise different issues to those which arise at Scottish Parliament elections and, as during the 2001 and 2005 UK General election campaigns, business will continue as normal. Guidance has been issued to all Scottish Gover…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects to convert the Scottish Futures Trust into a non-departmental body and, if so, when this will take place.

Answer · John Swinney: There are no intentions to change the status of the Scottish Futures Trust.</p> <p >I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18112 on 3 December 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the sear…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a contract for the construction of a replacement Portobello High School to be approved.

Answer · Maureen Watt: This is a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council.</p>

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what issues it has referred to the Scots Law Commission since May 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: One reference has been made to the Scottish Law Commission since May 2007, in November 2007. Ministers invited the Commission to consider the law relating to Rights of Appeal, Double Jeopardy and Evidential Questions. The Scottish Law Commission is dealing wi…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture has visited the (a) London and (b) East Kilbride offices of the Department for International Development and in each case whom she met and what issues and countries were discussed.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: I visited the Department for International Development (DFID) in East Kilbride on 7 November 2008 where I met the Head of DFID''s Headquarters in Scotland who is also the Director of East and Central Africa. We discussed the Scottish Government''s Internation…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when and for what purpose the First Minister next expects to visit the United States of America.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: In support of the Scottish Government''s promotion of the year of Homecoming, the First Minister plans to visit Washington DC next month to take part in a major symposium on the life and works of Robert Burns, featuring leading Scottish and American academics…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it made and to whom concerning the closure of the Sun Microsystems operation in Linlithgow.

Answer · Jim Mather: Sun Microsystems announced that internal manufacturing would be brought to a close at Linlithgow affecting approximately 15% of its Scottish workforce. Officials at Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise are now working with senior Sun Man…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what examination has been carried out of the financial interests of members of the Council of Economic Advisers since their appointment and any potential conflicts of interest.

Answer · John Swinney: Appropriate due diligence was applied when members were appointed to the Council of Economic Advisers. No further examination has been carried out since then.</p>

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in the provision of telephone services to its offices since May 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: Telephony Services used by the Scottish Executive are managed by Information Services and Information Systems (ISIS), a division of the Change and Corporate Services Directorate. Telephony services are supported by internal staff and delivered by a number of …

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy towards written parliamentary questions is and whether there has been any change since May 2007.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: There has been no change in policy since May 2007. The Scottish Government has a process in place, as required by Standing Orders, that aims to answer written parliamentary questions within 10 counting days (20 during recess). When replying to questions the S…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the local ward and local authority area boundaries prior to the council elections in 2012.

Answer · John Swinney: Last year Scottish ministers passed a Direction in exercise of the powers conferred in section 15(3) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. This instructed the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland not to undertake a review of any local gove…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it has in place for reviewing the implementation of Audit Scotland reports (a) one, (b) two and (c) three years after their publication.

Answer · John Swinney: The precise arrangements will vary between different parts of the Scottish Government but a common principle is that there is an audit committee, composed of external appointees, for each part of the organisation for which the Principal Accountable Officer ha…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the arrangements are for the appointment of a new chief executive of Transport Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: As with all Senior Civil Service (SCS) vacancies in the Scottish Government, the first consideration is whether there are any existing SCS staff available with the appropriate skills and experience to fill the post. David Middleton who is currently Head of th…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how and to whom the chief executive of Transport Scotland intimated his intention to retire and when the retirement will take effect.

Answer · John Swinney: In line with normal practice the Chief Executive of Transport Scotland gave notification in writing of his intention to retire to the Scottish Government''s Director of Change and Corporate Services. The date of his retirement is under discussion.</p>

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what official engagements were undertaken by each minister during the 2008 Christmas and New Year parliamentary recess.

Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is listed in the following table:</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> </td> <td …

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedure is in place to ensure that neither it nor its agencies employ illegal immigrants and what changes there have been in these procedures since May 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government and its agencies, covered by its Resourcing Policy, carries out pre-appointment checks for all staff employed either on permanent or fixed term contracts. These include nationality checks and where necessary asking prospective applican…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many snow ploughs and gritters are available to keep trunk roads open in the event of severe snow conditions and what change in those numbers there has been since May 2007.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are currently 276 snow ploughs and gritters available for winter maintenance of trunk roads, motorways and special roads in Scotland, as against 280 in May 2007. The change in numbers is mainly due to modernisation of the fleet and does not affect servi…