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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: S2W-20089

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 4 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received the work commissioned from Steer Davies Gleave on the application of EU rules in other member states and published in Research and Advice on Risk Management in Relation to the Subsidy of Ferry Services at one time or over a period of time; if it was received at one time, on what date, and if it was received over a period of time, over what period it was received, when the last piece of work was received and on what dates the first and last piece of research were received.

Question reference: S2W-19777

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 October 2005
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 2 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include in the draft Crofting Reform Bill a provision such as that contained in Schedule l of the current Crofters Scotland Act 1993 which provides that "the Secretary of State may provide the services of such officers and servants as the Commission may require" and what its intentions are in respect of the future of its staff currently seconded to the Crofters Commission.

No. The changes proposed in the draft Crofting Reform Bill will empower the Crofters Commission to employ its own staff. It is not possible to include a provision such as the one suggested as it would have the effect of fettering the new commission in relation to staffing matters. Ministers have already made a commitment that, should the new commission wish to make arrangements for existing staff to remain on secondment, it would be open to them to do so. I expect that the existing staff will be offered posts in the new organisation on terms and conditions at least as good as those they currently enjoy. Those staff based at the commission who do not accept an appointment with the new body will remain Scottish Executive staff and we will endeavour to find posts for them elsewhere within the Scottish Executive or in other parts of the civil service.

Question reference: S2W-19887

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2005
Current Status: Answered by George Lyon on 26 October 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates that it will follow the guidance set out in its letter of 20 March 2001 to the Procedures Committee, or any updated guidance, in respect of Executive amendments to bills by lodging any amendments it proposes to be made during Stage 3 consideration of the Licensing (Scotland) Bill by 3.00 pm at least five sitting days before the expiry of the deadline for lodging amendments or whether it expects to depart from its guidance, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Question reference: S2W-19345

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 25 October 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any instances where a recipient of (a) Track Access Grant or (b) Freight Facilities Grant has been asked to repay any element as a consequence of the purpose for which the grant was given not having been fulfilled for the requisite period.

There is only one case involved. On 26 November 2001, the Executive made an award of freight facilities grant totalling £289,469 but rail freight traffic to the business concerned ceased well before it was able to fulfil its commitments in the grant offer agreement. Consequently, officials had discussions with the company about the repayment of an appropriate proportion of the grant and agreement has recently been reached on this issue.

Question reference: S2W-19648

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2005
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 25 October 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will appoint a representative of the recreational sea angling sector to the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group.

The Strategic Framework for Inshore Fisheries in Scotland introduces significant changes to the management, organisation and development of inshore fisheries. Implementation of the framework is on-going and progressing well. Part of this process will involve review of the structure and function of the ScottishInshore Fisheries Advisory Group. That review is scheduled to take place in spring 2006 and applications for membership will be considered then.

Question reference: S2W-19647

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2005
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 25 October 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive why the recreational sea angling sector is not represented on the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group.

The Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group (SIFAG) deals primarily with matters relating to the commercial fishing sector. A key part of the group’s current work is the on-going implementation of the Strategic Framework for Inshore Fisheries in Scotland. The framework introduces a number of changes to inshore fisheries management, including significantly increased opportunities for all relevant stakeholders to play a greater role in the development and management of inshore fisheries. Reflecting these changes, a review of the structure and function of SIFAG is scheduled to take place in spring 2006. Applications for membership will be considered then.

Question reference: S2W-18726

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 August 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 25 October 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive to what transport projects funding has been committed using funding which was to have been used for the delayed M74 extension.

Question reference: S2W-19466

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 30 September 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether full access to all accounting and other relevant information will be given to NHS Highland in respect of the proposed re-drawing of boundaries between NHS Argyll and Clyde, NHS Highland and NHS Greater Glasgow.

Yes, I can confirm that NHS Highland, and indeed NHS Greater Glasgow, will be given full access to all accounting and other relevant information in respect of the proposed re-drawing of boundaries between NHS Argyll and Clyde and the two boards.

NHS Argyll and Clyde have been and will continue to work closely with NHS Highland, NHS Greater Glasgow and the Health Department on the forthcoming dissolution of the board.

Question reference: S2W-19465

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 30 September 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any request for information from NHS Highland regarding the cost of services within the NHS Argyll and Clyde area transferring to it and, in particular, the (a) resource allocation that this area will attract, (b) share of any in-year deficit that remains outstanding and (c) contribution which NHS Highland will be required to make in respect of NHS Argyll and Clyde's recovery proposals and, if so, whether it has provided, or will provide, the information.

I am not aware of any formal requests from NHS Highland regarding the cost of services within the NHS Argyll and Clyde area transferring to it under the proposals for the dissolution of the board. However, the Health Department is currently analysing the impact on the Arbuthnott-based resource allocation and on patient movements for NHS Highland and NHS Greater Glasgow, under each of the options identified in the consultation document. The department will share the results of these analyses with each of the three boards once they are available.

NHS Argyll and Clyde has been and will continue to work closely with NHS Highland, NHS Greater Glasgow and the Health Department as we move towards the dissolution and integration of the board and is addressing items (b) and (c) above.

Question reference: S2W-19275

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 30 September 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring forward its proposals for the boundaries of the regional transport partnerships under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005.