- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its statement at the Highlands and Islands Convention represents a change in its policy on the dispersal of civil service jobs; if not, whether it will make announcements about the dispersal of civil service jobs within a specified time period, and whether it will set a target for the number of civil service jobs which should be dispersed.
Answer
The Scottish Executive's policy on the location and the relocation of civil service jobs remains as set out by the First Minister in the answer given to Mr Duncan McNeil MSP, for question S1W-1558, on 15 September 1999.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 28 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought to persuade or influence the Electoral Reform Society or Electoral Reform Services Balloting against the Society's instruction to hold a postal referendum on the issue of section 2A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1986 and, if so, whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre copies of any correspondence, or fully describe and detail the contact or communication which has taken place.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-5903.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 28 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive on the basis of what mandate it proposes to repeal section 2A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1986.
Answer
Repeal of section 2A has been longstanding policy of both Labour and Liberal Democrat parties.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 28 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when it first set out its policy intention to repeal section 2A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1986; in what forum or publication did it set its policy intention out, and whether there are any implications in constitutional law of how, when and where it set out its policy.
Answer
Jackie Baillie, Deputy Minister for Communities, set out the policy position on repeal of section 2A to the Equal Opportunities Committee on 28 September 1999 and the Executive subsequently set out its case for the repeal in the consultation paper
Standards in Public Life: Consultation on the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill.We are not aware that the manner in which the Executive announced its policy has any implications in constitutional law.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 28 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what communication or discussion it has had with the Electoral Reform Society or Electoral Reform Service Balloting in connection with the proposed postal referendum on the issue of section 2A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1986.
Answer
The Scottish Executive made no representations to the Electoral Reform Society or Electoral Reform Service Balloting in connection with the proposed postal referendum on the issue of section 2A.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding will be made available to the Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Forum to commission a study to assess the economic impact on their communities of weight restrictions on roads and bridges and whether these restrictions are due to the level of investment in local road maintenance.
Answer
It is for the Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Forum to consider whether or not to fund such a study from the resources available to it. As local roads authorities it is for the individual councils concerned to decide what priority should be given to the maintenance of local roads and the upgrading of associated bridges and to allocate the necessary funding from the resources available to them.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has logged requests from members of the public for their consultation document National Parks for Scotland; whether there has been an unmet demand, especially in the Badenoch and Strathspey area, for copies of the document; what consideration it gave to the limited Internet access for persons within Badenoch and Strathspey as a means of obtaining copies; whether it will ensure that all parties who expressed an interest will receive copies of the consultation paper; whether it will extend the period for consultation from 3 March 2000 by 30 days so as to include comments from any persons who may have experienced difficulty in obtaining a copy of the paper and ensure that additional copies will be available, and whether it is satisfied that it has involved fully the local community.
Answer
Copies of the consultation document have been distributed in response to all requests received from members of the public and interest groups who contacted the Scottish Executive. All requests have been logged. Over 2,500 copies have now been distributed. All Community Councils in the proposed National Parks areas were sent copies. We had no plans to extend the consultation period: this would inevitably have delayed the introduction of the Bill into Parliament. Copies are still available from the Scottish Executive. The text is also available on the Scottish Executive Internet website.Local communities with an interest in the Bill have therefore had a full opportunity to comment on it. In addition to the consultation on the content of the Bill, there was the previous consultation on the National Parks, conducted by Scottish Natural Heritage throughout 1998. There will of course be further opportunities for comment in the course of parliamentary consideration of the Bill, and of the formulation of National Park Designation Orders.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a rebate for water charges similar to that available to council tax payers in order to help those with the least ability to pay.
Answer
Water and sewerage charges, in common with other utility charges, cover the provision of specific services. They are not taxes and it would not be appropriate to treat them as such by introducing rebates for them. I have, however, asked my officials to consider if we can improve on the protection that the current charging arrangements provide for many of those with the least ability to pay.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 26 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider locating the Scottish University for Industry in Inverness and, if so, whether it could be linked with the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Answer
I announced to Parliament on 13 April that Europa Building, in Glasgow's Argyle Street, has been chosen as the location for the Scottish UfI's headquarters. Scottish UfI Ltd, which expects to recruit around 25 staff in all, is likely to occupy the building from the end of May.
The Scottish UfI will act as a broker, not a provider of learning. It will stimulate the demand for learning and for providers that will mean rising to the challenge of providing learning where, when and in the format it is needed. The link to the proposed new higher education institution UHI, when it is established, will be the same as with any other higher education institution wishing to supply learning. Scottish UfI Ltd is already actively engaged in building strong partnerships with education and training providers and is collaborating with the University of the Highlands and Islands Project, sharing what works and what does not, where access to more advanced learning opportunities and qualifications is concerned.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 26 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government opposing the proposals in the Utilities Bill that the existing area electricity consumer committees be abolished and replaced with a single Gas and Electricity Consumer Council for the whole of the UK.
Answer
The Executive does not propose to make such representations. Under the provisions of the Utilities Bill, the new council must establish one or more committees of the council for areas in Scotland and must also maintain at least one office in Scotland at which consumers may apply for information.
