Seòmar agus comataidhean

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 2743 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S1W-09928

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 September 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 4 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were cancelled in each health board area between: (a) 31 July 2000 and 4 August 2000; (b) 7 August 2000 and 11 August 2000; (c) 14 August 2000 and 18 August 2000; (d) 21 August 2000 and 25 August 2000; (e) 28 August 2000 and 1 September 2000; (f) 4 September 2000 and 8 September 2000; (g) 11 September 2000 and 15 September 2000; (h) 2 August 1999 and 6 August 1999; (i) 2 August 1999 and 6 August 1999; (j) 16 August 1999 and 20 August 1999; (k) 23 August 1999 and 27 August 1999; (l) 30 August 1999 and 3 September 1999; (m) 6 September 1999 and 10 September 1999 and (n) 13 September 1999 and 17 September 1999.

Question reference: S1W-09929

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 September 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 4 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-emergency ambulance journeys were cancelled in each health board area between: (a) 31 July 2000 and 4 August 2000; (b) 7 August 2000 and 11 August 2000; (c) 14 August 2000 and 18 August 2000; (d) 21 August 2000 and 25 August 2000; (e) 28 August 2000 and 1 September 2000; (f) 4 September 2000 and 8 September 2000; (g) 11 September and 15 September 2000; (h) 2nd August 1999 and 6 August 1999; (i) 9 August 1999 and 13 August 1999; (j) 16 August 1999 and 20 August 1999; (k) 23 August 1999 and 27 August 1999; (l) 30 August 1999 and 3 September 1999; (m) 6 September and 10 September and (n) 13 September and 17 September.

Question reference: S1W-09997

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what the net outward migration from the Highlands and Islands in the 18 to 30 age group was in each year from 1996 to present.

Estimates of net migration in the 18 to 30 age-group for the Highlands and Islands consistent with the Registrar General's mid-year estimates of population are given in the table below.

Net migration for Highlands and Islands; 1996-1999

	Year ending 30 June
Council Area	1996	1997	1998	1999
Highland	-710	-860	-930	-730
Orkney Islands	-90	-70	-150	-50
Shetland Islands	-70	-80	-110	-120
Eilean Siar	-160	-330	-210	-200
Total	-1030	-1340	-1400	-1100

Notes:

1. A negative figure indicates net outward migration.

2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Question reference: S1W-09828

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2000
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 3 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its proposals to the European Commission in relation to the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme take account of the issue of remoteness and, if not, whether it will amend the proposals accordingly.

The Scottish Executive's LFA Scheme is based on the classification of individual farms. That classification takes account of soil fertility, climate, topography, altitude and location. My priority is to secure early European Commission agreement to the scheme. But as the scheme's safety net declines, my intention is to refine the approach when various factors, including remoteness, can be reassessed.

Question reference: S1W-09990

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 3 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual running costs are of the Scottish Qualifications Authority's Accreditation Unit and from what source or sources the unit is funded.

Question reference: S1W-09989

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sam Galbraith on 3 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of the Higher Still Development Programme has been to date and from what source or sources the programme has been funded.

Question reference: S1W-09971

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 3 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) about the impact of the current seal population upon the fishing industry and whether it has any plans to discuss this issue with the SFF.

The Chief Executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation wrote to me in July, proposing the establishment of a Seal Commission. We subsequently discussed the matter at a meeting on 8 August. I have since written to the federation reminding them that the Natural Environment Research Council's Special Committee on Seals already exists to provide independent scientific advice to Scottish Ministers on the management of the seal population under the terms of section 13 of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 and that the same Act provides a framework for controlling seal numbers. No further discussions are planned.

Question reference: S1W-07769

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 3 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5176 by Mr Jack McConnell on 31 May 2000, how it reconciles the estimate of #1,550 million to be raised in non-domestic rates in 2000-01 which is approximately #50 million more than 1999-2000, with the answer to question S1W-5177 on 31 May 2000 which states that non-domestic rate income is forecast to increase by up to #190 million in 2000-01.

My reply to question S1W-5177 concerned the increase in the amount of non-domestic rates income distributed to councils as part of their aggregate external finance for 2000-01, a composite calculation including surpluses and deficits from previous years not included in previous NDRI distributions. The £1,550 million referred to in my reply to question S1W-5176 is the amount that it is estimated that councils will collect in NDRI during 2000-01 only.

The amount of NDRI to be distributed is currently £190 million higher than originally forecast, mainly due to updated information supplied by councils on previous years. Consequently, the amount of revenue support grant (RSG) required to make up the total aggregate external finance is £190 million lower than forecast. Such savings in RSG will remain in the Departmental Expenditure Limit as a provision to cover requirements for additional RSG arising from the impact of NDR appeals, and for other adjustments. The position will be reviewed when the likely scale of appeals can be estimated more accurately.

Question reference: S1W-03496

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought and obtained legal advice about whether it is required to honour the assurances given by Lord Sewel in a letter to Mr Jim Wallace MP on 18 February 1999 and, if so, whether it will place a copy of the advice in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Question reference: S1W-03495

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers itself bound by an undertaking made by a Scottish Office Minister in February 1999.

I understand that the question refers to the Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme (ABIS) and a letter written by Lord Sewel on 18 February 1999.

This matter was the subject of proceedings before the Rural Affairs Committee on 3 December 1999. I said to the Committee at that meeting that, in looking at the effect of Lord Sewel's letter, it was necessary to take account of the letter to which he was responding, in the context of the explanatory leaflet that sets out the ABIS scheme's rules. I also said that my position was that, looked at on that basis, Lord Sewel's letter did not amount to a promise.

I remain of the view, taking account of all the advice I have received, that to interpret Lord Sewel's letter as amounting to an undertaking is to ignore the context in which it was made.It follows that I do not consider that Lord Sewel's letter amounts to a promise.