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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-26944

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 24 July 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to inform people who have had a genetic test about the progress of that test and about when they can expect to receive the result.

Question reference: S2W-26968

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 24 July 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to reduce waiting times for genetic test results, in light of the delays highlighted in the Breakthrough Breast Cancer report, Testing Times: Waiting for Genetic Test Results.

The Scottish GeneticsService continues to look at ways to develop and improve the service –including waiting time performance where appropriate. The recent review of Genetics in Relation toHealthcare Scotland considered ways in which NHS genetics services could bestrengthened to improve all aspects of the service to patients and to cope withincreasing demand. This Report and the Scottish Executive response is expectedto be published shortly.

Question reference: S2W-27030

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 July 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive why recreational sea anglers have not been offered representation on the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group.

The role of the ScottishInshore Fisheries Advisory Group (SIFAG) has been to advise on commercialfisheries in Scotland’s inshore waters. This is reflected in the Group’smembership. As part of the continuing implementation of the Strategic Frameworkfor Inshore Fisheries in Scotland, a review of the Scottish Inshore Fisheries AdvisoryGroup’s function, structure and membership is ongoing. The review is expectedto conclude later this year.

Question reference: S2W-27006

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Robert Brown on 14 July 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers in each local authority will have completed their probationary year in 2005-06 and how many positions for which they may apply are available (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority.

The following table providesthe number of probationers by local authority on the 2005-06 teacher induction schemeas at 31 May 2006. The vast majority of these will complete their probationaryyear satisfactorily at the end of term.

Apart from the snapshot takenin the annual teacher vacancy survey in February, the numbers of teaching postsavailable are not held centrally.

Local Authority	Primary	Secondary	Total
Aberdeen, City of	27	49	76
Aberdeenshire	76	54	130
Angus	41	27	68
Argyll and Bute	17	12	29
Clackmannanshire	11	6	17
Dumfries and Galloway	34	19	53
Dundee, City of	17	16	33
East Ayrshire	38	36	74
East Dunbartonshire	24	40	64
East Lothian	46	38	84
East Renfrewshire	74	62	136
Edinburgh, City of	84	85	169
Eilean Siar	6	7	13
Falkirk	46	47	93
Fife	77	71	148
Glasgow, City of	115	122	237
Highland	59	47	106
Inverclyde	7	18	25
Midlothian	20	26	46
Moray	30	28	58
North Ayrshire	53	46	99
North Lanarkshire	150	111	261
Orkney Islands	9	7	16
Perth and Kinross	39	28	67
Renfrewshire	31	39	70
Scottish Borders	25	16	41
Shetland Islands	6	8	14
South Ayrshire	25	18	43
South Lanarkshire	91	120	211
Stirling	29	43	72
West Dunbartonshire	41	40	81
West Lothian	33	30	63
(Totals)	1,381	1,316	2,697

Question reference: S2W-26925

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 10 July 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how much VAT it paid in each of the last seven years and how much it claimed back for each year.

The VAT paid and reclaimed since1999-2000 is set out in the following table:

Year	VAT Paid		VAT reclaimed from HMRC (£)
Year	To HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) (£)	To Suppliers (£)	VAT reclaimed from HMRC (£)
2005-06	1,353,369	91,490,005	64,528,351
2004-05	1,633,782	84,675,268	62,895,741
2003-04	3,246,756	73,884,238	55,187,710
2002-03	2,642,309	54,865,075	42,224,752
2001-02	3,112,959	note 1	29,524,674
2000-01	2,893,970	note 1	34,457,810
1999-2000	2,784,196	note 1	30,587,309

Note: 1. The Scottish Executiveimplemented a new accounting system in December 2001 and the total amount of VATpaid to suppliers is not available from the previous system.

These figures have been roundedto the nearest pound.

Question reference: S2W-26829

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 10 July 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what energy costs were incurred by it and each public sector body in each of the last three years, showing year-on-year percentage changes and national totals.

Energy costs incurred by the Scottish Executive in years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 and the percentage changesbetween years are as follows:

Energy Type		2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06
Electricity	Spend	£592,545	£562,946	£529,336	£915,205
	Difference from previous year	N/A	-£29,599	-£33,610	£385,869
	Year-on-Year % difference	N/A	-5 %	-6%	73%
Gas	Spend	£131,963	£156,656	£261,209	£243,146
	Difference from previous year	N/A	£24,693	£104,553	-£18,063
	Year-on-Year % difference	N/A	19%	67%	-7%
Liquid Fuel	Spend	£18,618	£25,346	£54,652	£41,108
	Difference from previous year	N/A	£6,728	£29,306	-£13,544
	Year-on-Year % difference	N/A	36%	116%	-25%

Therehas been a large increase in expenditure on electricity in 2005-06. This can beattributed to the fact that a two year fixed-price contract, which was set at aparticularly low point in the market, expired in 2005-06. During the period of thatcontract energy markets were subject to a period of unprecedented volatility. Increasesin oil and gas prices, political instability in key production areas and increaseddemand for energy all combined to force prices up. The Executive was protected fromthese changes during the period of the contract but the new contract which includesmuch increased rates reflects prevailing global market conditions.

The energy costs incurred byother public sector bodies are not held centrally and could only be obtained atdisproportionate cost.

Question reference: S2W-26907

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many flood warnings there have been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority area and by areas benefiting from formal flood warning schemes.

Question reference: S2W-26906

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those areas that currently benefit from a formal flood warning scheme, broken down by local authority area and whether it will give details of how often this list is reviewed and the criteria used in doing so.

Question reference: S2W-26905

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive to what mechanisms exist to ensure that local authorities and other agencies co-operate on flooding related issue to ensure that experiences and expertise is shared across Scotland.

The Flooding Issues AdvisoryCommittee (FIAC) provides a forum for a wide-range of stakeholders to share experiencesand expertise on flood related issues. The work of FIAC, its Sub-Committees andfull membership can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/Flooding/16919/FIAC.In addition, Scottish PlanningPolicy (SPP) 7 states that each local authority should convene a Flood Liaison andAdvice Group (FLAG) or combine with other local authorities to do so, possibly ona catchment basis. The purpose of a FLAG is to act as a forum for the key publicand private interests to share knowledge and offer advice on flooding issues. Moreinformation on FLAGs, and organisations normally represented, can be found in PlanningAdvice Note (PAN) 69 at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/08/19805/41600.

The Societyof Chief Officers of Transportationin Scotland (SCOTS) Group on Flooding is another such forum whose remit is to share knowledge and experienceand to provide guidance to Scottish local authorities with regard to best practicein terms of issues related to flooding and water legislation. The Executive andmost Scottish local authorities are represented at this group.

Finally, the Conventionof Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) FloodingTask Group was established to consider the issues of flood prevention, flood incidentsand coast protection. The group liaised with other bodies such as the Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water, the Association of British Insurers (ABI)and the Executive on flooding issues.

Question reference: S2W-26904

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to develop and increase the level of academic and research expertise in relation to flooding.

Research related to floodingis contained within and publicised through the Environment Group Research Programme,full details are available on the Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/17824/10205.Currently the University of Dundee, Department of Geography is engaged through this programmein a research project on Exploring the Social Impacts of Flood Risk and Floodingin Scotland.

In addition the Executive supportsthe UK wide Flooding Risk Management Research Consortium, which employs manyuniversity-based researchers and has the specific objective of developing and trainingthe next generation of flood risk management professionals through their involvementin and exposure to the consortium’s research.

The Executive has also establisheda Flood Risk Management Service, which is provided by Scotland Northern IrelandForum for Environment Research (SNIFFER). The website http://www.sniffer.org.uk/rise/ containsfull details and has a research programme that involves the Executive, local authorities,Scottish Water, SEPA, Scottish Environment Link and others as appropriate.