- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 13 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps were taken to rectify any deficiencies in the business plan of Scottish Water identified by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency prior to the resignation of the Chair of Scottish Water.
Answer
Professor Alan Alexanderresigned as Chair of Scottish Water because he did not agree with the ScottishExecutive, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the other regulators thatScottish Water‘s 2006-10 delivery plan fell short of their requirements for itin a number of material respects.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 13 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it to be the responsibility of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to approve the business plan of Scottish Water and, if so, on what date this requirement was made clear to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Answer
When Professor AlanAlexander was re-appointed to the Chair of Scottish Water on 1 April 2005 he wasrequired, within eight weeks of Scottish Water having decided to accept theWater Industry Commission for Scotland’s determination of charges for 2006-10, to submit tothe Executive for its approval a delivery plan for 2006-10. Before the plan wassubmitted to the Executive, Scottish Water was to ensure that its regulators(the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Drinking Water QualityRegulator and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland) agreed that the planconstituted a reasonable basis for delivering the Executive’s objectives forScottish Water in the period and that it contained milestones or other interimtargets by which progress towards achievement could be measured.
This requirement was set outin the letter of 1 April 2005 to Professor Alexander from the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development that accompanied Professor Alexander’s letter ofre-appointment. The letter was copied to the each of the regulators, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Copies of the letter can be viewed onthe Scottish Executive website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/17583/resignation.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 13 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has approved a contract or an operating basis for Scottish Water Solutions.
Answer
The Scottish Executiveapproved the arrangements underpinning the creation and operation of Scottish WaterSolutions Ltd for the delivery of Quality and Standards 2 in July 2003. the Executive is currently considering Scottish Water’s capital deliveryproposals for the delivery of Quality and Standard 3 but to date no decisionhas been taken.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 9 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what total public expenditure on school meals was in each year since 1999.
Answer
School meals are provided byindividual local authorities. The total gross expenditure by local authorities onthe provision of school meals in the years since 1999 is shown in the table below.This information is reported in the annual Local Government Finance Returns.
| Year | Gross Expenditure (£ Million) |
| 1999-2000 | 96.7 |
| 2000-01 | 91.4 |
| 2001-02 | 94 |
| 2002-03 | 93.6 |
| 2003-04 | 98.9m |
| 2004-05 | 102.9 |
Source: Local Financial Returns(LFR1).
These figures include expenditureassociated with implementing Hungry for Success recommendations.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 3 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid directly to farmers through subsidies in each year since 1999, not including administrative costs.
Answer
The total subsidy to farmers in Scotland, net of administrative costs, between 1999 and 2004 is shown in table 1.
Table 1
| Year | Total Value of Subsidies (£ Million) |
| 1999 | 454.8 |
| 2000 | 456.8 |
| 2001 | 458 |
| 2002 | 503.6 |
| 2003 | 518.5 |
| 2004 | 531.8 |
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 3 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S2W-22538, S2W-22539, S2W-22540, S2W-22541 and S2W-22542 by Rhona Brankin on 26 January 2006, when the detailed information requested will be supplied by Scottish Water.
Answer
As the previous answers made clear, these were operational matters for Scottish Water, and I understand that they have now supplied you with the information requested in your earlier questions.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 2 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the European Commission regarding the Rule of 85 in the Local Government Pension Scheme during the period since the Commission made it clear that the actions proposed by the Executive on the rule were not as a result of decisions of the European Union.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has beenin touch with the Commission through UK authorities to make clear its view, basedon legal advice, that the Rule of 85 is not compatible with the age provisions of the Equal Treatment directive. The Scottish Executive is not aware that the reportedcomments of the Commission have addressed that precise point.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 30 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving support to, and services for, young carers since the parliamentary debate on 27 October 2004.
Answer
We have made good progress in various ways since October 2004. The introduction of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 and the involvement of carer organisations in the associated guidance has helped to improve support to young carers. The Executive commissioned a Mori poll to help identify the number of young carers and their level of caring. That poll was undertaken in schools early in 2005, and the report was published on 7 September.
Last year, the Executive commissioned a major study on the future of unpaid care in Scotland. I announced the publication of the results of that study in September and subsequently discussed it with carers organisations. The report looked specifically at young carers and includes a recommendation relating to the development of a national young carers strategy and the creation of a national forum for young carers. We are presently liaising with key stakeholders to scope the report’s 22 recommendations, including those on young carers, and I will respond to the report in the spring.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 30 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government in respect of implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990.
Answer
We have from time to time consulted the Department of Constitutional Affairs on their experience of implementing the equivalent rights of audience in England and Wales. In addition, the Office of Fair Trading was represented on the Scottish Executive’s Research Working Group on the Legal Services Market in Scotland and has been fully involved in the group’s discussions of this issue. The minutes of the Research Working Group’s meetings are available at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/Civil/17822/19316.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 30 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Law Society of Scotland in respect of implementing sections 25 to 29 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990.
Answer
The Law Society of Scotland is a member of the Scottish Executive’s Research Working Group on the Legal Services Market in Scotland and has been fully involved in the group’s discussions of this issue. The minutes of the Research Working Group’s meetings are available at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/Civil/17822/19316.
