- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charitable organisations which have rented or owned premises since 1999 are liable for full payment of water rates and what criteria are applied to exemptions for such premises.
Answer
Scottish Water does not categoriseits non-domestic customers by reference to the nature of their business or to theirstatus in the eyes of HM Customs and Revenue. The information sought therefore isnot held by either the Scottish Executive or Scottish Water.
The Regulations which establishedthe water and sewerage charges exemption scheme (the Water and Sewerage Charges(Exemption) (Scotland) Regulations 2002) specify the criteria that ScottishWater must apply in administering the scheme. A copy of the Regulations is availablein the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 20440).
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to revise the exemption scheme for water and sewerage services to premises operated by charitable and voluntary organisations to reduce their financial burden.
Answer
The water and sewerage chargesexemption scheme was established originally for four years with effect from 1 April 2002 to assistthose organisations that had previously been in receipt of relief and which werelikely to be most affected by its withdrawal. The statutory criteria for qualifyingfor exemption were set with that objective in mind. The Executive extended the scheme from 2006-10, to allowmore time for those organisations to prepare to pay for the services that they consume.The Executive has no plans to revise thescheme.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to counter any potential threat to undermine parliamentary democracy in Scotland by (a) senior British military officers and (b) the British Security Service in light of recent reported allegations anent plans to undermine the Wilson government in the 1960s.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-25269 on 8 May 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at
www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24499 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 April 2006, when the established practice of not commenting on operational matters related to the Security and Intelligence Service began.
Answer
The functions of the SecurityService, Secret Intelligence Service and Government Communications Headquartersare reserved. It has been established practice for the Scottish Executive not tocomment on operational matters relating to these organisations since the Executive’sinception in 1999.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24499 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 April 2006, whether it is in the public interest to know whether Scottish ministers are aware of any potential subversive activity to undermine the democracy of Scotland by (a) senior British military officers and (b) the British Security Service.
Answer
The Security Service, SecretIntelligence Service, Government Communications Headquarters and the armed forcesare all subject to the rule of law. Evidence of criminal offences committed by membersof these organisations is subject to investigation and prosecution in line withestablished procedures.
The practice of not commentingon operational matters related to the Security and Intelligence Services, as referredto in my answer to S2W-24499, exists because it has been deemed in the public interestnot to risk jeopardising the work carried out by these organisations by revealing,even inadvertently, potentially sensitive information or investigative techniques.
All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at
www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government in respect of whether the Wilson Doctrine has been extended to cover MSPs and, if the convention does not apply to MSPs, whether it will be extended to do so.
Answer
The Wilson Doctrine is a matterfor the Prime Minister.
Authority to authorise interceptionof communications for persons located in Scotland, for the purpose of preventingor detecting serious crime, has been transferred to Scottish ministers but the relevantlegislation, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), is reservedto Westminster.
Section 65 of RIPA provides forany person who is aggrieved by any conduct to which the Act applies to complainto the independent Investigatory Powers Tribunal if they believe that the conducttook place in relation to them or their property in challengeable circumstances.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many covert surveillance operations have been carried out by any relevant authority, current or historic, on MSPs since 1999.
Answer
Information relating to the useof covert surveillance by relevant authorities would, if held by the Scottish Executive,be exempt by virtue of sections 31 (National Security) and 35 (Law Enforcement)of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. We believe it would be contraryto the public interest, to confirm whether or not any such information exists oris held by the Scottish Executive. The terms of this refusal are provided for bysection 18 (1) of the 2002 act.
As stated in my answer to questionS2W-21758 on 18 January 2006, the Chief Surveillance Commissioner publishes detailsin his annual report of the number of authorisations given under the Police Act1997 for property interference, and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act2000 and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 for directed and intrusivesurveillance.
The most recent report – Bib.number 37809, document number SE/2005/203 – was laid before the Scottish Parliamenton 3 November 2005.
All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at
www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24499 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 April 2006, when it is appropriate to comment on operational matters relating to the Security and Intelligence Service.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-25269 on 8 May 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at
www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has made available to charities and voluntary organisations since the transitional hardship fund expired on 31 March 2004.
Answer
Since the expiry of thetransitional hardship fund on 31 March 2004 the Scottish Executive hasprovided considerable financial support to the voluntary sector. In 2004-05 thevoluntary sector was provided with £404 million in grants, either directly orthrough non-departmental public bodies and other public agencies. The amount offinancial support increased significantly to £523 million in 2005-06.
Moreover, organisationsapplying for grant funding should include all associated overhead costs,including water charges, as part of their bid in keeping with the principles ofFull Cost Recovery to which the Scottish Executive is committed.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 8 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils there were with autistic spectrum disorder in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The information requested isprovided in the following tables. It should be noted that prior to and including2001 the data was based on pupils with Records of Needs only. From 2002 onwardsthe data includes pupils with Records of Needs and/or Individualised EducationalProgrammes.
Numbers of Pupils in PubliclyFunded Primary Schools with Records of Needs and/or Individualised Educational ProgrammesHaving Autistic Spectrum Disorder as their Main Difficulty in Learning
Publicly Funded (Primary) | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 |
Aberdeen City | 65 | 60 | 48 | 43 | 24 | 18 | 9 |
Aberdeenshire | 114 | 109 | 98 | 77 | 31 | 29 | 18 |
Angus | 34 | 39 | 35 | - | 20 | 18 | 14 |
Argyll and Bute | 26 | 25 | 23 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 7 |
Clackmannanshire | 12 | 11 | 13 | 11 | * | * | * |
Dumfries and Galloway | 67 | 56 | 41 | 36 | 29 | 19 | 13 |
Dundee City | 90 | 66 | 55 | 44 | 20 | 11 | 8 |
East Ayrshire | 24 | 26 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 5 | * |
East Dunbartonshire | 15 | 14 | 10 | 7 | * | * | * |
East Lothian | 25 | 26 | 22 | 23 | 12 | 15 | 12 |
East Renfrewshire | 44 | 38 | 38 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 11 |
Edinburgh, City of | 100 | 90 | 76 | 75 | 12 | 19 | 31 |
Eilean Siar | 17 | 14 | 11 | 10 | * | * | * |
Falkirk | 28 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
Fife | 155 | 150 | 133 | 118 | 52 | 41 | 35 |
Glasgow City | 57 | 53 | 33 | 22 | 48 | 63 | 16 |
Highland | 151 | 147 | 130 | 103 | 73 | 63 | 56 |
Inverclyde | 27 | 28 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 10 |
Midlothian | 31 | 20 | 17 | 18 | - | - | * |
Moray | 51 | 53 | 44 | 36 | 37 | 28 | 23 |
North Ayrshire | 40 | 31 | 22 | 20 | 9 | 3 | * |
North Lanarkshire | 109 | 96 | 90 | 89 | 60 | 41 | 32 |
Orkney Islands | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 | * | * | * |
Perth and Kinross | 68 | 54 | 51 | 39 | 32 | 20 | 21 |
Renfrewshire | 56 | 63 | 53 | 44 | 31 | 27 | 20 |
Scottish Borders | 38 | 35 | 36 | 40 | 5 | 17 | 16 |
Shetland Islands | 33 | 30 | 19 | 6 | * | - | * |
South Ayrshire | 23 | 23 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 7 | * |
South Lanarkshire | 91 | 65 | 59 | 53 | 24 | 20 | 14 |
Stirling | 33 | 27 | 29 | 24 | 17 | 14 | 10 |
West Dunbartonshire | 17 | 17 | 15 | 8 | 10 | - | - |
West Lothian | 65 | 47 | 70 | 53 | 23 | 19 | 11 |
All Local Authorities | 1,736 | 1,560 | 1,382 | 1,142 | 653 | 551 | 415 |
Note: *Signifies a numberless than five
Numbers of Pupils in PubliclyFunded Secondary Schools with Records of Needs and/or Individualised EducationalProgrammes Having Autistic Spectrum Disorder as their Main Difficulty in Learning
Publicly Funded (Secondary) | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 |
Aberdeen City | 31 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 12 |
Aberdeenshire | 58 | 49 | 42 | 34 | 12 | 8 | 7 |
Angus | 17 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 6 | * | 7 |
Argyll and Bute | 19 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | * |
Clackmannanshire | 10 | 5 | * | 5 | 5 | * | - |
Dumfries and Galloway | 24 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 12 | 9 | * |
Dundee City | 27 | 27 | 21 | 14 | 13 | 8 | * |
East Ayrshire | 16 | 18 | 19 | 13 | * | * | 5 |
East Dunbartonshire | 13 | 7 | 6 | 8 | * | * | * |
East Lothian | 13 | 8 | 7 | * | 7 | * | * |
East Renfrewshire | 23 | 20 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 7 | * |
Edinburgh, City of | 38 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 7 | 6 | * |
Eilean Siar | 5 | 5 | * | * | * | * | - |
Falkirk | 7 | 5 | * | * | - | - | - |
Fife | 72 | 55 | 37 | 27 | 16 | 15 | 12 |
Glasgow City | 51 | 41 | 16 | 12 | * | * | 11 |
Highland | 95 | 80 | 68 | 51 | * | 9 | 2 |
Inverclyde | 15 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 5 | * | * |
Midlothian | 13 | 9 | 8 | * | - | * | * |
Moray | 34 | 25 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 11 |
North Ayrshire | 4 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 7 |
North Lanarkshire | 44 | 40 | 36 | 32 | 23 | 18 | * |
Orkney Islands | 8 | 10 | 7 | 6 | - | - | - |
Perth and Kinross | 33 | 27 | 18 | 13 | 6 | 6 | * |
Renfrewshire | 25 | 26 | 19 | 6 | 8 | 6 | * |
Scottish Borders | 30 | 23 | 22 | 10 | - | * | - |
Shetland Islands | 19 | 11 | 8 | * | * | * | - |
South Ayrshire | 19 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 7 | * |
South Lanarkshire | 25 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 5 | * |
Stirling | 14 | 11 | * | * | - | - | - |
West Dunbartonshire | 8 | 7 | * | * | * | * | * |
West Lothian | 15 | 13 | 14 | 20 | 14 | 9 | 6 |
All local authorities | 825 | 676 | 542 | 415 | 224 | 174 | 114 |
Note: *Signifiesa number less than five.