- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 6 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to reduce the number of speculative planning applications for onshore wind farms.
Answer
Under planning legislationthere are no powers to prevent planning applications being made. However, the preparationof up-to-date policies by planning authorities which reflect Scottish Planning Policy6 Renewable Energy should provide greater certainty for developers and local communities.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 6 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports national or local locational guidance for siting onshore wind farm developments.
Answer
The Scottish Government believes that Scottish Planning Policy (SPP6) Renewable Energy provides a sound national policy context for addressing onshore wind development. We want to see the SPP''s provisions taken forward urgently, with local authorities engaging with communities and other parties in the preparation of locational strategies in the form of supplementary planning guidance. These local frameworks should provide greater certainty for developers and local communities and speed up the decision process. We see this approach as striking the right balance between national and local responsibilities.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when and to whom the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities will report.
Answer
The intention is for the finalmeeting of the taskforce to take place in June. The taskforce will report as soonas is feasible after that meeting. I expect the outcomes to be reported to the ScottishGovernment’s Cabinet, amongst others and I would also expect our work to be publishedin due course. In addition, I plan to keep members of the further and highereducation roundtable updated with its progress.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities will consider the use of student contributions towards university funding.
Answer
The government is firmly committed to access to higher education being based on the ability to learn rather than the ability to pay. The issue of student contributions is excluded from the scope of the taskforce.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive why student representatives are not part of the membership of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities.
Answer
A wide ranging review which mighttake years to produce results is not appropriate in this case. Membership of thetaskforce has deliberately been restricted to the government, university principalsand the chair of the Scottish Funding Council to ensure a short, sharp exercisethat produces tangible outputs.
The government does not see thetaskforce’s identification of challenges and next steps as being the end of theprocess. There will be an opportunity for wider engagement with a range of stakeholdersbeyond this. In particular, NUS and CHESS have been specifically asked to providean input to the next meeting in February. I also intend to discuss the student perspectiveat an event in the spring.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 28 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007, whether it will publish an update to The Scottish Executive's Expenditure: Comparative Trends: 1996-97 - 2005-06 published in 2004, to provide comparable spending data in real terms, broken down by department to level 2 figures.
Answer
The Scottish Government hasno plans to update the comparative trends data. The comparative trend datamerely provided an indication of trends in expenditure over an arbitrary 10year period and was flawed due to the complication of the introduction ofResource Accounting and Budgeting. However, the following table, based on AnnexB of the Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007, provides comparative expenditurefor year 2002-03 to 2010-11 in real terms which is broken down by portfolio tolevel 2.
| Department | 2002-03 Outturn (£ Million) | 2003-04 Outturn (£ Million) | 2004-05 Outturn (£ Million) | 2005-06 Outturn (£ Million) | 2006-07 Estimated Outturn (£ Million) |
| Europe and External Affairs | 0.4 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 9.4 | 10.5 |
| Culture and Gaelic | 118.2 | 143.2 | 154.7 | 157.2 | 175.1 |
| Corporate and Central Budgets | 1.1 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 14.4 | 13.8 |
| Historic Scotland | 44.8 | 42.0 | 4- | 43.9 | 45.4 |
| National Archives of Scotland | 11.5 | 11.4 | 8.7 | 9.2 | 14.9 |
| Total First Minister | 176.0 | 21- | 22- | 234.1 | 259.7 |
| Scottish Public Pensions Agency | 241.9 | 1,172.7 | 1,454.4 | 1,892.7 | 1,987.9 |
| Committees, commissions and other expenditure | 2.6 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 6.4 | 17.8 |
| Rail Services in Scotland | 132.2 | 210.1 | 196.1 | 20- | 672.3 |
| Concessionary Fares | - | 14.7 | 31.7 | 38.3 | 165.6 |
| Other Transport Agency Programmes | -2.3 | 34.4 | 15.8 | 62.8 | 198.5 |
| Motorways and Trunk Roads | 980.6 | 780.3 | 808.9 | 774.4 | 945.1 |
| Ferry Services in Scotland | 37.2 | 62.7 | 64.3 | 81.6 | 94.2 |
| Air Services in Scotland | 34.8 | 27.6 | 25.2 | 63.5 | 34.6 |
| Bus Services in Scotland | 56.9 | 58.7 | 60.8 | 59.8 | 60.2 |
| Other Transport Directorate Programmes | 14.4 | 24.3 | 27.2 | 27.2 | 62.4 |
| European Structural Funds -local authorities 2000-2006 | 5.1 | 49.3 | 48.5 | 48.9 | - |
| European Structural Funds -central government 2000-2006 | 109.6 | 161.9 | 143.8 | 125.4 | - |
| European Structural Funds -local authorities 2007-2013 | - | - | - | - | - |
| European Structural Funds -central government 2007-2013 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Planning | - | - | - | 1.6 | 3.2 |
| Enterprise, Energy and Tourism | 668.4 | 745.4 | 700.5 | 741.2 | 810.5 |
| Scottish Water and Climate Change | 196.0 | 47.6 | 88.9 | 172.9 | 0.6 |
| Third Sector and Social Economy | 11.2 | 11.7 | 21.0 | 19.0 | 25.2 |
| General Register Office of Scotland | 8.2 | 8.2 | 6.9 | 8.7 | 7.6 |
| Registers of Scotland | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total Finance and Sustainable Growth | 2,488.6 | 3,405.3 | 3,689.4 | 4,315.7 | 5,078.1 |
| Health | 7,781.6 | 7,990.1 | 8,869.0 | 9,419.3 | 9,706.7 |
| Housing and Regeneration | 584.9 | 689.8 | 578.1 | 450.1 | 627.1 |
| Wellbeing | 9.2 | 5.0 | 16.9 | 19.2 | 20.8 |
| Sport | 19.7 | 16.5 | 25.3 | 27.6 | 32.7 |
| Food Standards Agency | 5.3 | 7.0 | 8.4 | 11.2 | 10.2 |
| Total Health and Wellbeing | 8,400.7 | 8,708.4 | 9,497.7 | 9,927.4 | 10,397.5 |
| Schools | 134.2 | 145.3 | 131.1 | 132.2 | 139.5 |
| Children, Young People and Social Care | 65.1 | 72.4 | 80.7 | 108.0 | 112.3 |
| Student Awards Agency for Scotland | 397.7 | 375.7 | 367.5 | 356.0 | 507.6 |
| Scottish Higher Education Funding Council | 841.5 | 835.0 | 896.0 | 922.6 | - |
| Scottish Further Education Funding Council | 520.5 | 489.7 | 524.4 | 553.9 | - |
| Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council | - | - | - | - | 1,770.9 |
| Other ELL (ELL) | 46.3 | 37.1 | 46.3 | 48.9 | 66.7 |
| Total Education and Lifelong Learning | 2,005.3 | 1,955.2 | 2,046.0 | 2,121.6 | 2,597.0 |
| Student Loans - net new lending (outside TME) | 246.1 | 232.2 | 203.5 | 159.7 | - |
| Community Justice Services | 69.7 | 75.7 | 84.8 | 96.1 | 96.6 |
| Courts Group | 28.8 | 39.0 | 29.6 | 42.6 | 44.1 |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation | 35.4 | 28.8 | 23.3 | 22.4 | 23.2 |
| Fire Central Government | 7.4 | 12.4 | 9.2 | 10.6 | 12.5 |
| Legal Aid | 166.8 | 175.6 | 178.7 | 168.8 | 170.8 |
| Miscellaneous | 29.5 | 6.8 | 22.9 | 10.1 | 15.1 |
| Police Central Government | 87.7 | 99.0 | 118.7 | 169.5 | 114.5 |
| Safer Communities | - | - | - | - | - |
| Accountant in Bankruptcy | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 8.0 | 7.6 |
| Scottish Court Service | 85.7 | 81.6 | 75.5 | 75.5 | 77.2 |
| Scottish Prison Service | 307.2 | 327.3 | 370.3 | 371.4 | 374.5 |
| Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator | - | - | - | - | 2.7 |
| Total Justice | 821.8 | 850.4 | 917.1 | 975.0 | 938.8 |
| EU Support for Farmers | 404.6 | 434.2 | 454.3 | 432.4 | - |
| Rural Development | 145.1 | 147.2 | 137.3 | 141.5 | 110.3 |
| Research, Analysis and Other Services | 131.6 | 94.6 | 104.1 | 116.3 | 87.3 |
| Marine and Fisheries | 78.1 | 97.2 | 60.2 | 65.5 | 68.2 |
| Natural Heritage | 65.6 | 143.7 | 79.2 | 87.4 | 107.4 |
| Environment Protection and Greener Scotland | 40.8 | 53.0 | 54.7 | 70.7 | 61.3 |
| Water Quality | 12.6 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 3.2 |
| Forestry Commission Scotland | 44.2 | 27.0 | 38.5 | 46.7 | 55.9 |
| Forest Enterprise Scotland | 80.9 | 49.8 | 30.6 | 32.6 | 37.0 |
| Total Rural Affairs and the Environment | 1,003.5 | 1,054.8 | 966.6 | 1,001.4 | 530.6 |
| Administration | 236.3 | 250.8 | 266.6 | 277.0 | 258.6 |
| Total Administration | 236.3 | 250.8 | 266.6 | 277.0 | 258.6 |
| | | | | | |
| Total Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal | 81.3 | 86.3 | 87.9 | 91.4 | 101.7 |
| Local Government | 8,815.6 | 9,585.2 | 10,171.0 | 10,469.1 | 10,470.8 |
| Total Local Government | 8,815.6 | 9,585.2 | 10,171.0 | 10,469.1 | 10,470.8 |
| Police Loan Charges | - | 15.6 | 18.0 | 15.4 | 13.4 |
| Total Scottish Executive Budget | 24,029.1 | 26,106.4 | 27,862.3 | 29,412.7 | 30,632.8 |
| Department | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| Budget | Plans | Plans | Plans |
| (£ Million) | (£ Million) | (£ Million) | (£ Million) |
| Europe and External Affairs | 13.8 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 16.9 |
| Culture and Gaelic | 181.7 | 179.5 | 193.9 | 195.6 |
| Corporate and Central Budgets | 14.1 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 13.9 |
| Historic Scotland | 47.7 | 49.1 | 46.8 | 46.6 |
| National Archives of Scotland | 9.0 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.7 |
| Total First Minister | 266.3 | 266.5 | 278.7 | 282.7 |
| Scottish Public Pensions Agency | 2,661.1 | 2,527.2 | 2,524.6 | 2,463.3 |
| Committees, commissions and other expenditure | 28.5 | 30.7 | 32.9 | 53.0 |
| Rail Services in Scotland | 638.1 | 654.3 | 638.9 | 617.7 |
| Concessionary Fares | 192.4 | 178.0 | 179.9 | 177.3 |
| Other Transport Agency Programmes | 291.7 | 171.8 | 272.6 | 237.9 |
| Motorways and Trunk Roads | 878.4 | 885.4 | 1,009.9 | 1,094.0 |
| Ferry Services in Scotland | 74.4 | 87.7 | 99.8 | 102.8 |
| Air Services in Scotland | 42.1 | 36.3 | 36.2 | 35.2 |
| Bus Services in Scotland | 57.3 | 54.3 | 54.3 | 53.0 |
| Other Transport Directorate Programmes | 67.0 | 75.6 | 66.4 | 54.4 |
| European Structural Funds -local authorities 2000-2006 | - | - | - | - |
| European Structural Funds -central government 2000-2006 | - | - | - | - |
| European Structural Funds -local authorities 2007-2013 | - | - | - | - |
| European Structural Funds -central government 2007-2013 | - | - | - | - |
| Planning | 2.5 | 11.2 | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Enterprise, Energy and Tourism | 690.3 | 652.4 | 633.2 | 624.1 |
| Scottish Water and Climate Change | 181.8 | 296.0 | 296.0 | 288.7 |
| Third Sector and Social Economy | 15.1 | 22.0 | 30.6 | 35.4 |
| General Register Office of Scotland | 10.3 | 11.0 | 14.7 | 20.5 |
| Registers of Scotland | - | - | - | - |
| Total Finance and Sustainable Growth | 5,831.0 | 5,693.9 | 5,895.0 | 5,862.5 |
| Health | 10,214.9 | 10,110.6 | 10,501.7 | 10,669.1 |
| Housing and Regeneration | 480.6 | 451.3 | 539.4 | 530.1 |
| Wellbeing | 36.7 | 36.4 | 37.8 | 38.3 |
| Sport | 34.3 | 45.0 | 51.2 | 50.8 |
| Food Standards Agency | 10.4 | 10.1 | 10.4 | 10.6 |
| Total Health and Wellbeing | 10,776.9 | 10,653.4 | 11,140.5 | 11,298.9 |
| | | | | |
| Schools | 136.1 | 126.5 | 129.2 | 130.4 |
| Children, Young People and Social Care | 115.6 | 98.2 | 100.2 | 95.2 |
| Student Awards Agency for Scotland | 539.1 | 483.4 | 482.0 | 494.3 |
| Scottish Higher Education Funding Council | - | - | - | - |
| Scottish Further Education Funding Council | - | - | - | - |
| Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council | 1,633.9 | 1,588.7 | 1,666.3 | 1,678.7 |
| Other ELL (ELL) | 94.0 | 107.3 | 99.1 | 100.7 |
| Total Education and Lifelong Learning | 2,518.7 | 2,404.1 | 2,476.8 | 2,499.3 |
| Student Loans - net new lending (outside TME) | 13.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Community Justice Services | 16.8 | 2- | 22.0 | 21.5 |
| Courts Group | 41.8 | 42.1 | 44.0 | 44.5 |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation | 28.5 | 27.1 | 27.1 | 26.4 |
| Fire Central Government | 7.0 | 39.2 | 16.3 | 13.9 |
| Legal Aid | 168.4 | 158.7 | 162.1 | 160.2 |
| Miscellaneous | 36.7 | 31.3 | 32.5 | 32.3 |
| Police Central Government | 128.5 | 131.5 | 154.4 | 153.0 |
| Safer Communities | 34.5 | 30.7 | 33.0 | 33.0 |
| Accountant in Bankruptcy | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.5 |
| Scottish Court Service | 79.4 | 77.2 | 88.2 | 88.2 |
| Scottish Prison Service | 427.3 | 420.9 | 441.2 | 445.2 |
| Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| Total Justice | 979.1 | 988.7 | 1,030.9 | 1,028.1 |
| EU Support for Farmers | - | 7.0 | 6.2 | 5.3 |
| Rural Development | 144.1 | 138.7 | 138.1 | 135.0 |
| Research, Analysis and Other Services | 111.7 | 106.3 | 110.4 | 110.3 |
| Marine and Fisheries | 54.3 | 62.3 | 67.4 | 65.6 |
| Natural Heritage | 82.1 | 77.2 | 79.9 | 8- |
| Environment Protection and Greener Scotland | 44.1 | 98.6 | 105.7 | 108.8 |
| Water Quality | 9.3 | 8.8 | 8.2 | 8.0 |
| Forestry Commission Scotland | 56.3 | 61.0 | 64.2 | 65.1 |
| Forest Enterprise Scotland | 27.7 | 24.7 | 24.9 | 24.4 |
| Total Rural Affairs and the Environment | 529.6 | 584.6 | 605.0 | 602.5 |
| Administration | 241.4 | 233.3 | 237.7 | 236.9 |
| Total Administration | 241.4 | 233.3 | 237.7 | 236.9 |
| Total Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal | 100.8 | 110.2 | 118.7 | 120.5 |
| Local Government | 10,651.1 | 10,574.0 | 11,013.7 | 11,105.3 |
| Total Local Government | 10,651.1 | 10,574.0 | 11,013.7 | 11,105.3 |
| Police Loan Charges | 14.7 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 13.6 |
| Total Scottish Executive Budget | 31,894.9 | 31,508.7 | 32,797.0 | 33,036.7 |
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 24 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities will consider university funding.
Answer
Yes. The taskforce will consider university funding.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 24 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether minutes will be published of meetings of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities.
Answer
There are currently no plansto publish minutes of the meetings of the Taskforce. The taskforce is making communicationof progress a high priority and will consider how best to achieve this as the exercisemoves forward.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 24 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities.
Answer
The taskforce will consider:
Howto optimise and shape the contribution which the Scottish university sector canmake during the next 20 years to the Scottish economy, to Scottish culture and societyand to the political priorities of the Scottish Government.
Whatopportunities can be created and what barriers will need to be overcome to achievethat.
What resources will be neededand how they will be provided.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 18 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what its concordat with COSLA will mean for individual school budgets.
Answer
The new concordat betweenthe Scottish Government and local government provides total funding of £34.8 billionto local authorities 2008-11, an increase of 12.9% across the three yearperiod. It will remove much of the ring-fencing which previously constrainedlocal funding arrangements and will provide much greater financial freedom forlocal government, as well as significantly reducing related bureaucracy. Weexpect local authorities will apply these principles when allocating budgets toeach school.
