- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 11 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set up a public inquiry, convened in Inverness, to inquire into the North of Scotland Water Authority's financial planning, in particular relating to projected revenue and expenditure, and whether it will guarantee that all information relevant to any such inquiry will be made publicly available.
Answer
These matters have already been reviewed. At my request, NoSWA commissioned a review of its corporate planning process. The Authority published the report of the review in January 2000 and is implementing its recommendations. In addition, the Water Industry Commissioner has carried out a strategic review of charges in all three water authorities for the period 2000-02, which encompassed their projected capital investment programmes and revenues. This advice and the Executive's decisions on charges were also published in January 2000.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 11 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether water and sewerage charges for domestic customers in the North of Scotland Water Authority area will increase in 2000-01 and, if so, by how much; whether it considers any such increases to be excessive, and what steps it will take to protect the public from such increases.
Answer
I announced my decisions on the strategic review of charges to Parliament on 26 January 2000. As I made clear then, the larger increase for the north is based on a fundamental reassessment by the authority of the investment that it needs to meet its statutory obligations. Both the Commissioner's advice and my determination on charges were published then. It is now for each authority to submit its annual charges scheme to the Water Industry Commissioner for approval.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 10 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what economic development services are provided by Business Shops; whether any analysis has been done or will be done as to whether the nature and range of services provided vary and whether it will place a copy of such analysis in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
I refer Mr Ewing to my answer to question S1W-4002.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 10 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Business Shops there are and to list their location and the total annual cost of their operation.
Answer
The Scottish Business Shop Network comes under the operational remit of Scottish Enterprise. Details of the annual cost of their operation are contained in the Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Business Shop Network Evaluation Main Report: Final Report February 1999, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The number of Business Shops in existence changes from year to year, but up to date information is available on request from Scottish Enterprise.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 10 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what is (a) the number of post offices outlets in Scotland and (b) the total number of jobs dependant on them both directly and indirectly; what consideration it has given as to the impact upon these employment levels of Her Majesty's Government policy to switch benefit payments to automated credit transfers to bank accounts in a two year move commencing in 2003 and whether it will provide an estimate of the numbers of jobs directly and indirectly dependant on post office outlets in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Answer
The Post Office, post and regulation of postal services are reserved matters. I understand from the Post Office that the number of post offices in Scotland as at end March 1999 was 2,026 and that around 7,000 people are either directly or indirectly dependent on the operation of the post office network in Scotland. In addition, there are a number of people within the Post Office Group who have responsibilities which are partly related to the operation of the post office network and those who are employed in the retail businesses associated with post offices.The automation of the post office network, which is due for completion by the spring of 2001, will enable post offices to enhance and expand the facilities they offer. The UK Government has also given an assurance that benefit recipients who wish to access their benefits in cash at post offices will continue to be able to do so before and after the move to automated credit transfer. No estimates of job numbers for the years 2003-06 are available.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 10 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about the advice which business organisations are currently giving their members about the revaluation taking place this year, as referred to by Mr Jack McConnell in column 1490 of the Official Report of the debate on the draft budget 2000-01 on 15 December 1999.
Answer
I have had a number of meetings with business representative bodies on aspects of the revaluation. Following my statement on Local Government Finance on 8 December, the Scottish Executive circulated an information leaflet outlining key facts to the main representative business organisations, who subsequently made it available to their members.In line with the Executive's policy of openness and transparency, I will continue to meet with these organisations in the run up to, and following, the revaluation and will issue further guidance.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 8 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the absence of any formal right of appeal under the Sheep Annual Premium Scheme 1999 may constitute a breach of the European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Answer
The current options available to a farmer to challenge a decision by the Scottish Executive under the Sheep Annual Premium Scheme 1999, or any other agricultural subsidy scheme, include asking for Judicial Review in the Court of Session. Whether Judicial Review provides adequate and full review to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights depends on the applicant's complaints and the context. The European Court of Human Rights has accepted that the availability of Judicial Review may well be adequate. In any case the Scottish Executive has undertaken to create a new right of challenge for administrative decisions (currently out for consultation), which would complement any rights to Judicial Review and would be sufficient for the purposes of the European Convention on Human Rights.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 8 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will institute a consultation process as to the way in which the provisions, under article 11.1A of the EC Regulation ((EEC) 3887/92), which relate to the administration of claims under the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) and in particular with regard to an application which "contains errors other than those made intentionally or by serious negligence", are interpreted and, if so, whether it will include in the consultation paper the practice and precedent in other EU member states as to the interpretation of the "obvious error" rule; whether its application of the IACS rules under 11.1A has been strict upon applicants in the imposition of penalties and its interpretation of the "obvious error" rule, and how its application of the IACS rules has compared with the approach adopted by other EU states.
Answer
All EU Regulations, which impact on producers, were the subject of detailed scrutiny by the Red Tape Review panel of industry representatives. Their report was handed over on 26 January and I am now considering the recommendations. The Panel investigated the perception that the UK over-interprets EC Regulations and applies them more stringently than other member states but concluded this was not the case. The Panel did have a concern about the proportionality of some penalties imposed by the EU Regulations, especially where they are the result of inadvertent error in completing the forms and about the lack of flexibility in the imposition of those penalties. I share these concerns and intend to pursue them with the EU.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 8 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the regulations governing EU agricultural subsides and whether the existing rules punish cases of inadvertent error.
Answer
The Regulations governing EU agricultural subsidies are reviewed regularly by Agricultural Departments in the UK on an individual and collective basis. The need for change is also discussed regularly with the EU and the other member states before revisions are introduced. The Regulations are designed to deter fraudulent activity and serious negligence. We do, however, feel that in some instances the penalties imposed by the EU Regulations appear disproportionate, especially where they are applied following inadvertent errors on the forms. We are having ongoing discussion with the EU on this matter, but whilst we have been able to secure some changes to the Regulations to allow acceptance of some errors, we do not feel that these go far enough. We are continuing to pursue the possibility that further discretion should be given to member states.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2532 by Mr Jim Wallace on 29 November 1999, whether the creation of ten new permanent Shrieval posts will be sufficient to secure the proper discharge of administration of justice; in which courts they will be deployed, and whether it believes any delays resultant are consistent with the interests of justice.
Answer
The holders of the ten new permanent Shrieval posts have Commissions as floating Sheriffs which means that they can serve where required throughout Scotland. My Department are in consultation with the Sheriffs Principal about the means of deploying the floating Sheriffs to best effect. I am discussing with Ministerial colleagues what additional steps may be needed as a result of the High Court judgement affecting the use of temporary Sheriffs and I shall keep Parliament informed of developments.
