- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 11 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the aims of the steering group being headed by Scottish Enterprise to look into the possibilty of setting up freight ferry services between Scotland and the continent and what effect it would expect such a service to have on the Scottish economy as a whole.
Answer
The Executive welcomes the establishment by Scottish Enterprise of a Project Steering Group to promote the opportunity to operate a direct ferry service from Scotland to the Continent. The Executive would expect the Steering Group to examine the potential costs and benefits of establishing a viable service, including the effects it might have on the Scottish economy as a whole.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 11 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated total annual costs to the Executive are of each and all of the proposed joint committees between it and Her Majesty's Government and whether it will provide a detailed computation of such expenses showing the estimated costs of (a) any expenses, including travel, subsistence and accommodation, paid to ministers, civil servants and special advisers attending such meetings (b) civil servants' time in serving on or otherwise supporting such meetings (c) the hire of accommodation (d) the provision of meals and refreshments (e) any receptions or other functions, social or otherwise (f) any other associated costs; whether it will indicate the number of civil servants attending such meetings, and, if it will not detail the above costs and figures, why not.
Answer
The precise costs to the Executive cannot be known in advance, nor in such detail. They will be met from the overall administration budget.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 11 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been or will be any payment made to the former Special Adviser Mr John Rafferty arising from the termination of his employment and, if so, to provide full details of such payment.
Answer
Mr Rafferty will receive what he is due under the terms of his contract of employment. A copy of the model contract for Special Advisers is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICE).
- 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 Henry McLeish on 28 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimates are as to how many jobs have (a) been lost and (b) not been created as a result of regulations, and what steps have been taken by it to assess any impact regulations have on the economy.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has not made any estimates of the impact of regulatory factors on either job loss or job creation decisions but it recognises that regulations can have implications for the competitiveness of business and the economy and is committed to minimising the burden on business. Any new Scottish legislation or regulation, and any consultation papers on regulatory proposals that have an impact on business, are required to be accompanied by a Regulatory Impact Assessment. This structured document shows the expected compliance cost to business, particularly small firms, set alongside the benefits of non-regulatory alternatives. No legislative or regulatory proposal that has an impact on business will proceed without a Regulatory Impact Assessment that clearly demonstrates the worth of the proposed regulation.
- 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 Andrew Hardie on 28 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of the prosecution of Jim Sutherland of Carfraemill Lodge in respect of offences under the Beef Bones Regulations 1997 including all costs incurred until conclusion of the case on 7 December 1999.
Answer
It is not possible to calculate the total cost of this prosecution.
- 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 Henry McLeish on 28 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1912 by Henry McLeish on 25 October 1999, why a copy of the Executive summary of the report by Deloitte & Touche on the Ossian project has still not been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and whether it will provide a full explanation as to the delay.
Answer
The report has taken longer to complete than the Scottish Tourist Board expected. They now believe that it will be available during the week beginning 20 December. As it will not now contain commercially sensitive information, I have asked the Chairman of the STB to place a copy of the full report in the Parliament's Information Centre as soon as it becomes available.
- 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 Frank McAveety on 28 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2640 by Mr Frank McAveety on 2 December 1999, whether, given its responsibility for local government, it will seek from North Lanarkshire Council the details relating to the points raised in that question and, if not, why not and whether it will state by what mechanism members should seek such information.
Answer
No. Local authorities are autonomous corporate bodies; and they have powers to appoint officers on such reasonable terms and conditions as they think fit and similarly to terminate contracts of employment. In doing so they are, of course, required to comply with employment law; and their accounts are subject to audit by the Accounts Commission; but they are not answerable to the Scottish Executive, except where statute specifically provides so.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 24 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the accommodation booking module of the Ossian Project was originally planned to be introduced in February 1999; when it will be introduced; whether there will be a consequential delay in the implementation of the proposed Tourist Information Centres (TICs) accommodation booking system, and when all TICs will become operational to employ the Ossian accommodation booking system.
Answer
It has been possible to book accommodation using the Ossian database since August 1999. Pre-payment using e-commerce will be piloted during the first quarter of 2000. The full system will then be available to all ATB members who wish to use it. TICs will also be able to provide a booking and payment service to their customers. Each ATB is responsible for their own TIC connection schedules, therefore timescales for delivery in each area will vary.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 22 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what input it will have into the meeting organised by the Department of Trade and Industry for 20 December 1999 to discuss the loss of jobs at the Barmac fabrication yards.
Answer
The Oil and Gas Industry Task Force, of which I am vice-chair, has agreed to establish an Oil and Gas Fabrication Support Group to address the difficulties faced by all the fabrication yards in the UK. The Group had a preliminary meeting on 20 December to discuss how to manage the changes that face the industry. The Scottish Executive will play its full part in this Group, which will also involve the Department of Trade and Industry, local enterprise agencies and training and export agencies.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 22 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-779 by Henry McLeish on 13 August 1999, whether it has made specific representations to Her Majesty's Government opposing their plans to have benefit payments moved from rural post offices to automated credit transfer and what assessment has it made or plans to make of any impact upon rural post offices such a move might have.
Answer
The UK Government has indicated its commitment to maintaining a network of post offices throughout the country. The UK Government has also given an assurance that those benefit recipients who wish to collect their benefits in cash at post offices will continue to be able to do so.
