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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.

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Question reference: S1W-03714

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 7 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government in order to encourage growth in research and development activity in Scotland by reducing the tax burden upon it or by introducing tax relief on investment in such activity.

Question reference: S1W-03289

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jackie Baillie on 4 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2484 by Jackie Ballie on 3 December 1999, whether that answer is an endorsement of the statement made by the Minister of State at the Scotland Office (House of Commons Official Report 9 November 1999, col-868) that "there is no particular shortage of money for voluntary and community organisations".

The Scottish Executive is committed to developing a strategic approach to the funding of the voluntary sector. Last year our funding of the voluntary sector amounted to some £283 million, of which £23 million was in direct grants and £260 million was indirect funding through agencies and non departmental public bodies. We shall keep under review the support we make available to the voluntary sector.

Question reference: S1W-03910

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 4 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if the Highlands and Islands Convention is to be reconvened without including any MSPs, MPs or MEPs representing the Highlands and Islands, it will explain in detail the reasons why.

Question reference: S1W-03909

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 4 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted any form of consultation process on the reconvening of the Highlands and Islands Convention and upon the composition of its membership; if so to provide details and, if not, whether it will now conduct a consultation process with the public and relevant bodies.

Question reference: S1W-03911

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 4 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is in favour of elected representatives of the Highlands and Islands working together on any reconvened Highlands and Islands Convention and, if not, why not.

Question reference: S1W-02417

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 3 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there has been any maladministration in relation to the Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme and, if so, what steps it will take to ensure that applicants to the scheme do not suffer financially as a result.

I am not aware of maladministration having taken place in the handling of the scheme. The financial allocation for the scheme has been fully committed. In addition, on 16 November, I announced that an extra £1 million is being made available. This followed consultation with the industry about the prioritisation system to deal with the very late surge in scheme applications which regrettably will result in a number of applications not being funded.

Question reference: S1W-03845

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 2 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the ending of the Right to Buy Scheme for anti-social tenants would in any way act as a deterrent of such behaviour and, if so, for what reasons.

Question reference: S1W-03844

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to Her Majesty's Government in relation to any proposed pesticide tax, in particular regarding what implications such as a tax might have on Scottish agricultural jobs and what evidence, if any, exists to show that some pesticides currently used by farmers have improved the quality of grain.

The UK Government asked the agrochemical industry and others to offer proposals to reduce the environmental impact of pesticide use. Proposals now brought forward by the British Agrochemicals Association will form the basis of discussions between the UK Government, industry and other interested parties over what form a partnership approach might take. It has been announced by HM Treasury that subject to further detailed discussions, the Chancellor will not proceed with the introduction of a pesticides tax in the Budget. The Scottish Executive will keep in close touch with developments on this.

Question reference: S1W-00202

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 31 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to appoint permanent Sheriffs in order to reduce the amount of time spent by police officers waiting to appear as witnesses in Scottish criminal trials.

Very significant reductions in police waiting time at Court have been achieved through the introduction of first and mandatory intermediate diets. There is nevertheless a continuing need to improve procedures to ensure that waiting time for all witnesses, including police officers, is kept to a minimum. Availability of Shrieval resources is not the most critical issue here, but I intend to keep the matter under review.

Question reference: S1W-03763

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact will be in Scotland upon (a) levels of unemployment, (b) small businesses and (c) the economy if it decides to make final its decision to fix a business rate poundage of 10.1 % higher than the proposed poundage in England.