Parliamentary questions
George Foulkes
1,927 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
2 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2255 by Stewart Maxwell on 1 August 2007, to what extent the Lothians will benefit should Glasgow’s bid to host the Commonwealth Games be successful.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The whole of Scotland will benefit from a Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.Net economic benefits of £81 million, and 1,200 net new jobs are predicted at aScottish level.</p><p>The Scottish Governmentwill work with relevant bodies to ensure that the opportunity…
2 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2255 by Stewart Maxwell on 1 August 2007, whether it has discussed the anticipated funding method for the proposed upgrade of the Royal Commonwealth Pool with the City of Edinburgh Council.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Officials have metwith City of Edinburgh Council and discussed the funding for the Royal CommonwealthPool. Further discussion will place when the outcome of the working group reviewingthe sale of Meadowbank is known and revised build costs for the pool have b…
2 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2254 by Stewart Maxwell on 1 August 2007, what three projects in the Lothians will benefit from the £17 million allocated as part of the National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy; what discussions it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council …
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Under current planswithin the National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy, the projects at Sighthill Park, the Royal Commonwealth Pool and Hunters Hallwill benefit from the £17 million allocation.</p><p>Sportscotland meetwith the City of Edinburgh Distri…
19 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be made available to provide local community sporting facilities.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Local authorities have astatutory responsibility for ensuring that there is adequate provision ofsporting facilities for their residents, and are free to determine their owncapital investment programme to meet this obligation. In doing so, there are anumber o…
19 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the Lothians contribute to and benefit from the Commonwealth Games in 2014, should the Scottish bid be successful.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Royal Commonwealth Poolin Edinburgh will host the diving competitions, should Glasgow’sbid to host the Commonwealth Games be successful.</p><p>The Commonwealth Games areexpected to generate 1200 jobs and increase tourism across the whole of Scotland.</p>
19 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is being provided to ensure that 21st century sports facilities are provided for elite athletes in the Lothians.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The City of EdinburghCouncil has been allocated £17 million for three projects as part of theNational and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy.</p>
19 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to develop national and regional sports facilities throughout Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmentis currently considering next steps with regard to the National and Regional SportsFacilities Strategy. We are disappointed with the slow progress to date and arein discussion with sportscotland regarding options to ensure the delivery …
13 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the announcement made by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills giving a guarantee, the Higher Education Student Support Guarantee, that recipients of the educational maintenance allowance will know what student support they would be entitled to receiv…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is part of the announcement made by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universitiesand Skills on 5 July 2007. There are currently no plans tointroduce a similar guarantee in Scotland but we willexamine the proposals.</p>
13 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase bursary provision for Scottish students studying in Scotland, in light of the increase in student bursaries announced by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, raising the threshold for a full bursary to £25,000 and awarding partial b…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Executive iscurrently undertaking a number of projects which will review both full-time andpart-time student support. We will publish our findings and plans once we havecarried out appropriate options appraisal and consultation with stakeholders.…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether making an emergency statement without first seeking clarification from the UK Government shows a lack of willingness to work together with Westminster and Whitehall in the best interests of Scotland.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The First Ministerhas made abundantly clear this administration’s determination to work constructivelywith the UK government. There have been good exampleswhere engagement has worked well. But consultation in this case fell short ofwhat was acceptable. This i…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any circumstances where decisions on Scottish prisons would be made by any other body than the Executive.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked MikeEwart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>No.</p>
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate has been made of any damage to the working relationship with Westminster and Whitehall arising from the Executive’s action in relation to the memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libyan governments.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Memorandum ofUnderstanding between the UK and Scottish Governments sets out aseries of principles and concordats which underpin relations. So, it is unfortunatethat the Prime Minister appears to have overlooked the agreements set out inthe supplementary C…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it first made a request to the Presiding Officer for the First Minister to make an emergency statement on the memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libyan governments.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The formal request,in accordance with Rule 13.2 of the Parliament’s Standing Orders, was made at 13:30 on Thursday 7 June.</p>
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it was decided that the announcement of a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libyan governments was an emergency and required an emergency statement to be requested in the Parliament.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The First Ministerdecided to make a formal approach to the Presiding Officer, in accordance with Rule13.2 of the Parliament’s Standing Orders, on the morning of Thursday 7 June.</p>
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis the announcement of a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libyan governments was deemed an emergency.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The First Ministermade a request to the Presiding Officer to make an emergency statement on Thursday, 7 June 2007. The decision that a ministerial statement was of a sufficientlyurgent nature for the statement to be made and debated that day was made at thedi…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sought clarification at either official or ministerial level from the UK Government on the existence of a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libyan governments before making an emergency statement to the Parliament and what the reason was for its position on this ma…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Yes. The First Minister’sstatement made clear the reasons for the position taken on this matter.</p>
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any contact was established at either official or ministerial level with the UK Government to discuss the existence of a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libyan governments and, if so, when.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Yes. I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-857 on 19 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any reference to a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libyan governments was included in the official papers of the First Minister or Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Yes.</p>
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the existence of a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libyan governments was communicated to the office of the First Minister.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-857 on 19 June 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website thesearch facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.searc…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it become aware of the existence of a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libyan governments.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-857 on 19 June 2007. 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.sear…
8 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to amend the Community Regeneration Fund’s focus on delivering service for the 15% most deprived areas as identified by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: In the context of the spending review, the Scottish Government is currently considering the futureand focus of the Community Regeneration Fund post March 2008, when the currentthree year programme ends.</p>
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that people across the Lothians are aware of the need for organ transplant donors and what financial commitment is being made to improve transplant services and raise awareness of the issue across the region.
Answer · Shona Robison: Section 1 of the Human Tissue(Scotland) Act 2006 places a duty on the Scottish ministers to promote, support anddevelop programmes of transplantation. It also places a duty on us to promote informationand awareness about the donation for transplantation of pa…
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much investment is being made in retaining and improving organ transplant services across the Lothians region.
Answer · Shona Robison: Organ transplantation servicesare commissioned either regionally or nationally. The transplant unit at the RoyalInfirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) undertakes liver, pancreas and simultaneous kidney/pancreastransplantation on a national basis, and kidney transplanta…
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many organ transplants took place in the Lothians region in the last year.
Answer · Shona Robison: In financial year 2005-06, 35organ transplants were undertaken at the transplant unit, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.The figure for 2006-07 was 27.</p>
6 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently waiting for organ transplants in the Lothians region; what the three most common organ requirements are in the region, and what the average waiting time is for a transplant.
Answer · Shona Robison: At 10 June 2007, there were 135 peoplein the NHS Lothian area registered with UK Transplant as waiting for an organ. Thefigure includes 25 people who are currently suspended from the list, which meansthat they have been removed from the list temporarily, for …
5 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected cost is of abolishing the student loans system.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We are currently lookingat the details of abolishing the student loans and replacing them with means testedgrants. As part of this we will produce detailed costings of these prospects indue course. This information will then be used to inform decisions in the…
5 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish plans to abolish the student loans system and, if so, when.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I announced on the13 June that I am actively engaged with my officials on our plans to abolish studentloans and replace them with means tested grants. That work continues.</p><p>We are committed tobringing forward accurately costed proposals in due course. As…
5 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to fully implement the findings of the Review of Scotland’s Colleges and when it intends to publish its plans on the matter.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The findings of the Review ofScotland’s Colleges have yet to be reported to me by the core group of stakeholdersresponsible for co-ordinating the review. I am grateful for the time and effortwhich stakeholder organisations have invested in the review, and I a…
5 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans to scrap the graduate endowment would have retrospective application.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I announced on the13 June 2007 that our proposal is to have the legislationin force by 1 April 2008. If the parliamentary process is completedby this date, the legislation would not need to have retrospective effect.</p>
5 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many students are currently exempt from the graduate endowment, broken down by exemption category.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Information is notheld centrally on the number of students in particular exemption categories. However,the percentage of students granted an exemption from paying the Graduate Endowmentare as follows:</p><p>2004-05 – 8,115 studentswere exempt (approximately 4…