Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-25683

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what the level of youth unemployment is in Scotland and (b) what information it has on the level of youth unemployment in the United Kingdom.

The official measure of unemployment is based on the ILO (International Labour Organisation) definition and is produced by the Office for National Statistics. Table 1 provides information on the ILO unemployment levels and rates for young people aged 16-24 years in Scotland and the UK for the period covering January to March 2009, and the same period in 2008.

Table 1: ILO Unemployment Levels And Rates, Scotland And UK, 2008-09 (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

	Scotland		UK
	Level	Rate (%)	Level	Rate(%)
January-March 2008	56,000	13.6	642,000	13.4
January-March 2009	62,000	15.0	834,000	17.6
Change on year	6,000	1.5	192,000	4.2

Source: Labour Force Survey.

Notes:

1. Unemployment rates are based on the economically active population (those employed and unemployed).

2. Change on year for rates is the percentage point difference and is calculated on the raw (unrounded) unemployment figures.

An alternative measure of unemployment is the claimant count. This gives the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits and is produced by the Office for National Statistics. Claimant count is always lower than ILO unemployment as some unemployed people choose not to claim benefits or are not entitled to do so, particularly those under 18 years. As claimant count data is sourced from administrative records it is available earlier than ILO unemployment. The latest claimant count data is for June 2009.

Table 2 shows the number of young people aged 16-24 years claiming unemployment related benefits in Scotland and UK for June 2009 and June 2008.

Table 2: Claimant Count Unemployment Levels And Rates, Scotland And UK, 2008-09 (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

	Scotland	UK
	Level	Level
June 2008	22,975	256,720
June 2009	39,460	457,125
Change on year	16,485	200,405
% Change on year	71.7%	78.1%

Source: Claimant Count, NOMIS.

Question reference: S3W-25682

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people were not in any form of education, employment or training in each year since 1997.

The official source for statistics for Scotland on the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) is the Annual Population Survey. The numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds NEET in each year since 1997 are given in the following table:

16 to 19-Year-Olds Not in Employment, Education or Training, Scotland 1997-2008

1997	34,000
1998	37,000
1999	36,000
2000	39,000
2001	37,000
2002	36,000
2003	35,000
2004	35,000
2005	37,000
2006	32,000
2007	32,000
2008	31,000

Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS), Calendar Quarters combined for 1997-2002. The 2003 figure includes some of the boost from the Annual Scottish LFS (ASLFS). Data from 2004 onwards are taken from the Annual Population Survey (APS). The APS and ASLFS include boosts to the main LFS. This means there is a discontinuity in the series.

Question reference: S3W-25063

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 14 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Reformation in 2010.

Question reference: S3O-07295

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 June 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive when the first project funded through the Scottish Futures Trust will be completed.

Question reference: S3W-24176

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 4 June 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) accidents and (b) fatalities occurred on the A9 between (i) Dunblane and Perth, (ii) Perth and Pitlochry, (iii) Pitlochry and Inverness and (iv) Inverness and Thurso in each of the last five years.

The number of (a) accidents and (b) fatalities which have occurred on the A9 between (i) Dunblane and Perth, (ii) Perth and Pitlochry, (iii) Pitlochry and Inverness and (iv) Inverness and Thurso in each of the last five years is as shown in the table below:

(i) A9 Dunblane to Perth (Inveralmond roundabout)	Year	(a) Personal Injury Accidents	(b) Fatal Accidents	(b) Fatal Casualties
	2004	32	4	4
	2005	37	1	1
	2006	38	1	1
	2007	48	2	2
	2008	28	3	3
	Total	183	11	11
(ii) A9 Perth (Inveralmond roundabout) to Pitlochry (Junction with A924)	Year	(a) Personal Injury Accidents	(b) Fatal Accidents	(b) Fatal Casualties
	2004	15	2	2
	2005	11	1	1
	2006	18	1	1
	2007	17	2	2
	2008	12	0	0
	Total	73	6	6
(iii) A9 Pitlochry (Junction with A924) to Inverness (Longman roundabout)	Year	(a) Personal Injury Accidents	(b) Fatal Accidents	(b) Fatal Casualties
	2004	48	3	3
	2005	33	0	0
	2006	39	6	7
	2007	43	5	7
	2008	42	5	10
	Total	205	19	27
(iv) A9 Inverness (Longman roundabout) to Thurso (Scrabster)	Year	(a) Personal Injury Accidents	(b) Fatal Accidents	(b) Fatal Casualties
	2004	59	5	6
	2005	66	3	3
	2006	70	3	3
	2007	60	2	2
	2008	50	2	2
	Total	305	15	16

Supporting information showing accidents per kilometre and accident rates per 100 million vehicles is tabled below:

	(i) A9 Dunblane to Perth	(ii) A9 Perth to Pitlochry	(iii) A9 Pitlochry to Inverness	(iv) A9 Inverness to Thurso	Scottish Trunk Road Average
Distance	43km	43km	140km	177km	Dual C/way	Single C/way
Accidents per Km	0.85	0.34	0.29	0.34	0.99	0.48
Fatal Accidents per Km	0.05	0.03	0.03	0.02	0.03	0.02
Accident Rate (100 MVKm)	Dual = 8.82 Single = n/a	Dual = 4.13 Single = 5.99	Dual = 6.44 Single = 9.41	Dual = 7.63 Single = 17.14	7.70	17.80
Fatal Accident Rate (100 MVKm)	Dual = 0.46 Single= n/a	Dual = 0.41 Single = 0.36	Dual = 0.22 Single= 1.49	Dual = 0.4 Single = 0.66	0.28	1.00

The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates, e.g. due to late returns, corrections to earlier returns or changes in traffic volume.

Question reference: S3W-23893

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individual student loan accounts were passed to debt collection agencies by the Student Loans Company in each year from 2005-06 to 2008-09.

The following table shows Scottish domiciled Student Loans Company (SLC) borrowers whose accounts have been passed to debt collection agencies in each financial year from 2005-06 to 2008-09.

Number of SLC Customers with Accounts Passed to Debt Collection Agencies

Financial Year
2005-06	4,490
2006-07	3,120
2007-08	2,420
2008-09	2,050

Source: Student Loans Company.

Notes:

1. Customer numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest 10.

2. Scottish domiciled borrowers only.

3. These figures will include both customers whose debt is publically owned and those whose debt is owned by a private company.

Question reference: S3W-23118

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11165 by Stewart Stevenson on 17 April 2008, which roads have had the highest number of (a) accidents and (b) fatalities in each of the last five years.

The following tables provide statistics requested and are ranked by estimates per km of road.

2003

Injury Road Accidents			Fatalities
Road	Number of Injury Road Accidents	Per km of Road	Road	Number of Road Accident Fatalities	Per km of Road
A8	315	3.99	A770	5	0.39
A761	89	2.82	A74	3	0.24
M8	190	2.17	B7078	5	0.13
A726	99	2.04	A811	5	0.10
A89	120	2.03	A84	4	0.08
A814	109	1.65	A72	7	0.08
A1	120	1.37	A77	12	0.08
A71	149	1.34	A96	11	0.07
A78	91	1.32	A726	3	0.06
A77	173	1.14	A90	14	0.06
A92	159	1.08	A8	4	0.05
A90	255	1.05	A713	4	0.05
A91	83	1.00	A9	21	0.05
A7	127	0.96	A71	4	0.04
A82	229	0.84	A92	5	0.03
A70	83	0.68	A85	5	0.03
A702	90	0.68	A701	3	0.03
A96	101	0.60	A82	7	0.03
A85	88	0.58	A93	4	0.02
A9	227	0.52	A75	3	0.02

2004

Injury Road Accidents			Fatalities
Road	Number of Injury Road Accidents	Per km of Road	Road	Number of Road Accident Fatalities	Per km of Road
A8	307	3.89	A916	3	0.19
A761	90	2.85	A77	12	0.08
M8	238	2.72	M74	4	0.08
A726	96	1.97	A91	5	0.06
A89	99	1.67	A90	13	0.05
A71	177	1.59	A92	7	0.05
A70	88	1.59	A85	7	0.05
A814	99	1.49	A96	7	0.04
A78	95	1.38	A9	17	0.04
A90	271	1.12	A8	3	0.04
A1	90	1.02	A71	4	0.04
A7	130	0.99	A72	3	0.04
A77	137	0.91	A70	4	0.03
A92	124	0.84	A859	3	0.03
A82	214	0.79	A701	3	0.03
A96	123	0.74	A82	7	0.03
A803	89	0.73	A702	3	0.02
A702	93	0.70	A83	3	0.02
A85	105	0.69	A87	3	0.02
A9	213	0.49	A93	3	0.02

2005

Injury Road Accidents			Fatalities
Road	Number of Injury Road Accidents	Per km of Road	Road	Number of Road Accident Fatalities	Per km of Road
A8	269	3.41	A74	3	0.24
A761	84	2.66	A923	5	0.10
M8	222	2.54	A947	6	0.09
A803	90	1.62	A811	3	0.06
A814	106	1.60	A1	5	0.06
A89	94	1.59	A92	7	0.05
A726	76	1.56	A85	7	0.05
A721	72	1.52	A814	3	0.05
A71	143	1.29	A76	4	0.04
A1	110	1.25	A713	3	0.04
A77	153	1.01	A90	9	0.04
A90	235	0.97	A82	10	0.04
A7	126	0.96	A70	4	0.03
A96	139	0.83	A75	5	0.03
A92	120	0.81	A7	4	0.03
A82	210	0.77	A71	3	0.03
A70	87	0.71	A701	3	0.03
A702	72	0.54	A96	4	0.02
A85	73	0.48	A77	3	0.02
A9	192	0.44	A9	5	0.01

2006

Injury Road Accidents			Fatalities
Road	Number of Injury Road Accidents	Per km of Road	Road	Number of Road Accident Fatalities	Per km of Road
A8	301	3.81	A726	5	0.10
A761	82	2.60	A90	17	0.07
M8	224	2.56	A8	5	0.06
A726	95	1.95	A84	3	0.06
A814	113	1.71	A6105	3	0.06
A89	97	1.64	A947	4	0.06
A803	79	1.42	A76	5	0.05
A81	78	1.35	A96	9	0.05
A71	144	1.30	A75	8	0.05
A73	81	1.29	M8	4	0.05
A7	145	1.10	A71	5	0.05
A1	91	1.04	A97	4	0.04
A90	243	1.00	A95	4	0.04
A77	133	0.88	A9	17	0.04
A92	109	0.74	A82	10	0.04
A82	183	0.67	A91	3	0.04
A70	78	0.64	A701	4	0.04
A96	101	0.60	A72	3	0.04
A85	86	0.57	A92	4	0.03
A9	236	0.54	A77	4	0.03

2007

Injury Road Accidents			Fatalities
Road	Number of Injury Road Accidents	per km of Road	Road	Number of Road Accident Fatalities	Per km of Road
A8	254	3.22	A8011	3	0.42
A761	79	2.50	A752	3	0.24
M8	193	2.21	A76	7	0.08
M74	85	1.62	A828	3	0.07
A814	104	1.57	M8	6	0.07
A89	92	1.56	A1	5	0.06
A726	72	1.48	A8	4	0.05
A1	103	1.17	A82	13	0.05
A71	127	1.14	A77	7	0.05
A90	247	1.02	A90	11	0.05
A77	136	0.90	A970	5	0.04
A7	118	0.90	A83	6	0.04
A82	226	0.83	A85	5	0.03
A92	114	0.77	A96	5	0.03
A70	81	0.66	A9	13	0.03
A96	109	0.65	A93	5	0.03
A85	94	0.62	A92	4	0.03
A702	76	0.57	A71	3	0.03
A75	79	0.51	A75	4	0.03
A9	218	0.50	A702	3	0.02

Source: Scottish Government STATS 19 Returns.

Note: Each sub-table lists only 20 roads, therefore, in some cases, other roads may have the same numbers of injury road accidents, or fatalities, as the last road shown in a particular sub-table. For example, the A701 was not the only road which had three fatalities in 2003.

Question reference: S3W-23556

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 18 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make a decision on the proposed Calliacher wind farm development.

The last day of sitting of the Calliachar public local inquiry was 4 May 2009. Closing submissions are being submitted in writing, and the last date for this is 27 May 2009. The accompanied site inspection is due to take place on 3 June 2009.

It is anticipated that the report will be submitted to Scottish ministers, who will make the final decision in this case, in autumn 2009. 80% of appeals for Scottish ministers decision should be determined within two months of ministers receiving the report and 100% within three months.

Question reference: S3W-23168

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 14 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive which communities in Tayside have been broadband-enabled since May 2007.

Question reference: S3W-23167

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 14 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive which communities in Tayside will not be broadband-enabled by June 2009.

The former Scottish Executive delivered access to broadband provision to every Scottish community, as defined using census output areas, in December 2005. This was achieved through its £16.5 million Broadband for Scotland project, in which BT, under contract to the Scottish Executive, upgraded 378 rural telephone exchanges for broadband provision.

The Scottish Government''s current Broadband Reach Project, which is being delivered by Avanti Caledonian Broadband Ltd, is providing a basic, affordable broadband service to the known demand from those households and businesses which still remained without broadband access following the Scottish Executive''s 2005 project, mainly due to distance from the exchange. Deployment of the current project commenced in July 2008 and will complete in May 2009. Locations within Tayside where at least one of the premises has been enabled for broadband under the current project are as follows:

Aberfeldy

Abernyte

Acharn

Alyth

Ardargie

Ardoch

Ardtalnaig

Auchterarder

Balintore

Blairgowrie

Brechin

Burnside of Kilry

Craichie

Craigdallie

Delnamer

Dykends

Enochdhu

Fasnacloich

Forfar

Forgandenny

Glenesk

Glen Fincastle

Glen Prosen

Glenalmond

Kingoldrum

Kirkmichael

Kirriemuir

Lawers

Montrose

Mosston

Abernythe

Path of Condie

Perth

Pitlochry

Rannoch

Rhynd

Ruthvenfield

St Cyrus

Strathtummel.

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