Parliamentary questions
George Foulkes
1,927 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance Remote Data Services has received from the Scottish Government or any of its agencies since May 2007
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government or its agencies have given no financial assistance to Remote Data Services since May 2007.</p>
30 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance Pedian Services has received from the Scottish Government or any of its agencies since May 2007
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government or its agencies have given no financial assistance to Pedian Services since May 2007.</b></p>
26 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the core terms of the Scottish Enterprise final salary pension scheme by which Scottish Enterprise contributes 20% of employees’ pensionable salary and provides benefits at a normal retirement age of 60 for staff who joined prior to December 2006 compare with the Scottish Government’s…
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Enterprise Pension and Life Assurance Scheme is a funded final salary pension scheme which was originally set up in 1951 as the Scottish Industrial Estates Limited Pension Scheme</b></p> <p >The following table provides a comparison between it a…
26 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its ministers were made aware of the planned £115,219 payment in lieu of notice to the former Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise and, if so, whether they lodged any objections with the chair, board or remuneration committee of Scottish Enterprise.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35914 on 21 September 2010 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busin…
26 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its officials were made aware of a planned payment of £115,219 in lieu of notice to the former Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise and, if so, whether they raised objections.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35914 on 21 September 2010 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busin…
26 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who recommended a payment of £115,219 paid in lieu of notice to the former Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise.
Answer · Jim Mather: Jack Perry formally resigned as Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise on 28 May 2009. His contract of employment provided for a 12 month notice period and Scottish Enterprise decided that it would hold him to that whilst it recruited a new chief executive an…
26 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its guidance to non-departmental public bodies on bonus payments in 2009-10, whether it was made aware of the planned bonus to the current Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise for 2009-10 and what action it took.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth wrote to the chairs of non-departmental public bodies in April 2010 asking them to invite their chief executives to consider waiving, on a voluntary basis, some or all of any bonus they might be offered…
26 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35575 by Kenny MacAskill on 26 August 2010, what the estimated is cost of (a) legal aid for those prisoners who have raised proceedings, (b) defending the proceedings and (c) all payments made to successful litigants.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >(a) The total net cost on the legal aid fund legal aid for those prisoners who have raised proceedings is £376,014. This cost inclu…
26 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35638 by John Swinney on 26 August 2010, whether the aspects of the operation of the Government Car Service that it will be looking at will include a significant reduction in its car pool provision.
Answer · John Swinney: We will continue to look at all aspects of operation of the Government Car Service to ensure efficiency.</b></p>
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current estimated cost is of the Fingerprint Inquiry examining the Shirley McKie case.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32942 on 9 April 2010. 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/Apps2/B…
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many public inquires are ongoing and when each is expected to report to ministers.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Three public inquiries for which a report has not yet been received have been established by the Scottish Ministers under the Inquiries Act 2005: the Fingerprint Inquiry established to investigate the steps taken to verify the fingerprints associated with the…
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given consideration to the difference in franchise between a UK referendum and a Scottish Parliament election and, if so, what action it proposes to take.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government is opposed to holding the proposed Alternative Vote referendum on the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament. The referendum and the Scottish Parliament elections will be held under different franchises and we are concerned t…
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider legislating to prevent the UK Government from holding a referendum on the same day as the 2011 Scottish Parliament election.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government is opposed to holding the proposed Alternative Vote referendum on the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament.</b></p> <p >The timing of the Scottish Parliament elections is set out in the Scotland (Act) 1998. The date of the…
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made submissions to the UK Government in relation to the proposal to hold a referendum on adopting the alternative vote system for UK elections on the same day as the 2011 Scottish Parliament election and, if so, what response it has received.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: Scottish ministers have written to the UK Government on a number of occasions to express concern about the proposal to hold the alternative vote referendum on the same day as next year''s elections to the Scottish Parliament. Scottish ministers and ministers …
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23575 by Jim Mather on 20 May 2009, what response it has received to its request to the Working Group on Scotland Without Nuclear Weapons from HM Naval Base Clyde.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Working Group on Scotland Without Nuclear Weapons published its report in August 2009. The report can be accessed at:</p> <p >http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/swnw-working-group/Report.</b></p>
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met Lord Jamie Sempill; on what dates, and what subjects were discussed.
Answer · John Swinney: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as this is available. A copy of the response will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51704).</b></p>
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to respond to the recommendations of the Report of Scotland's Independent Budget Review Panel.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has given extensive responses to the contents of the Independent Budget Review, particularly in the parliamentary debate on 9 September 2010.</b></p> <p >Until the comprehensive spending review reports on 20 October, we will not know …
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23585 by John Swinney on 14 May 2010, what progress it has made in reducing its business travel related emissions by 20%.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government reports business travel emissions yearly and the latest <i >Environmental Annual Report 2008-09</i> was published on 21 May 2010 (Bib. number 50874). This highlighted that business related travel emission had reduced by 3% from 2005-06…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to report to the Parliament on progress of the implementation of the recommendations of the Scottish Broadcasting Commission.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35854 on 4 October 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken arising from the findings of the report of the Scottish Broadcasting Commission.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As indicated in my statement to the Parliament on Wednesday 29 September 2010 the Scottish Government''s <i >Second Annual Report on Progress </i>on implementing the Scottish Broadcasting Commission''s recommendations has now been published.</b></p> <p >The…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what board meetings of Transport Scotland have taken place in 2010 and what subjects were discussed at each meeting.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There have been six meetings of the Transport Scotland Board to date in 2010. Approved minutes of the meetings from February to June, showing the subjects discussed can be accessed at <a href="http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/about-us/board/meetings">http:…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for visits by ministers and officials to the (a) Maldives and (b) Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Answer · Shona Robison: There are no plans for either Ministers or officials to visit the Maldives. The First Minister and I will represent the interests of the Scottish Government by attending the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi to support Team Scotland and undertake other Scottis…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent by its core departments on consultants in 2009-10.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33896 on 8 June 2010. 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/Apps2/Bu…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between ministers and officials of the Scottish Islamic Foundation in 2010.
Answer · Alex Neil: No meetings have taken place between Scottish Government ministers and officials of the Scottish Islamic Foundation in 2010.</p>
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will state its current position with regard to proposed action regarding a referendum on independence.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The proposed Referendum (Scotland) Bill will be published shortly, and will focus the debate in Scotland on the need for economic and financial powers for the Scottish Parliament and Government as the only possible alternative to a decade or more of Westminst…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-21423 by Bruce Crawford on 9 March 2009, for what reason none of the three topics have been debated in its time for debate in the Parliament in the past year.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: Over the past year, when proposing the Business Programme to the Parliamentary Bureau, following consultation with business managers, the Scottish Government put forward matters for debate that reflected the issues of interest and importance to the Parliament…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is regarding the National Conversation.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35364 on 13 September 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busin…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-21273 by Michael Russell on 24 February 2009, what the current position is regarding ministerial visits to Qatar.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There are currently no plans for ministers to visit Qatar.</p>
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the report of the Fingerprint Inquiry examining the Shirley McKie case.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Ministers have not yet received the report of the Fingerprint Inquiry, nor been notified of a date for its publication. The Inquiry Chairman is understood to be considering the evidence and preparing a report.</p> <p >The conduct of a public inquiry under th…
24 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider using its powers under the Inquiries Act 2005 to establish an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conviction of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, his subsequent release and surrounding events, on the basis of public concern and, if not, whether it wi…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government''s actions have already been reviewed by committees of both the Scottish and UK Parliaments and we have no plans to initiate any inquiry. As I explained in my statement of 20 August 2009, the Scottish Government does not doubt the safe…