Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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: S1W-05792

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 13 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss with the Scottish Tourist Board its appointment of a Parliamentary Liaison Officer and whether the salary costs of the post would be better spent on marketing activities.

Question reference: S1W-05408

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 13 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations from the Duror and Kentallen Community Council with regard to safety measures on the A828, and what action it will take.

Yes. A Route Accident Reduction Plan (RARP) study has been completed for this route and addresses some of the issues raised by the Duror and Kentallen Community Council. The RARP has identified measures that would benefit the whole of the route including the Achindarroch and Cuil Bay junctions. The RARP has also recommended that further more detailed investigations are required at particular locations. The remaining issues raised by the Community Council are currently being assessed. It is anticipated that the RARP safety measures already identified will be installed within this financial year.

Question reference: S1W-05579

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sam Galbraith on 12 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward an amending order to the draft Scotland Act 1998 (Cross-Border Public Authorities) (Adaptation of Functions etc) Order 2000 providing that any person whose appointment as a member of the National Heritage Memorial Fund is on the ground of a connection with Scotland must demonstrate either a residence connection with Scotland or special knowledge of Scotland and that such a member of the National Heritage Memorial Fund may not be appointed without the consent of the Parliament, and only following consultation with the Parliament.

Question reference: S1W-05557

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 6 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the case for European transitional funding to be used to upgrade the Drynie Hill section of the A861 from Kinlochmoidart to Carnoch and whether it will make a statement explaining its position.

The improvement of this section of the A861 is entirely a matter for Highland Council as the local roads authority. As regards the use of European transitional funding, the special programme for the Highlands and Islands is currently being considered by the European Commission. Whilst support for infrastructure is envisaged, projects will require to demonstrate that they relieve significant constraints to economic development and that they feature amongst priorities established by the Highlands & Islands Partnership Programme.

Question reference: S1W-05556

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 6 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has the powers to allow Initiative At the Edge funding to be used to effect the improvements and upgrading required to the Drynie Hill Section of the A861 from Kinlochmoidart to Carnoch.

The maintenance and improvement of local roads such as the Drynie Hill section of the A861 from Kinlochmoidart to Carnoch is the responsibility of Highland Council as the local roads authority. The Council is a key partner in the Initiative at the Edge and there is a general expectation on all the partners that they will attach additional priority to areas which are covered by the Initiative. Final decisions on the allocation of funding however remain a matter for individual partners.

Question reference: S1O-01525

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 6 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a rebate or relief scheme this year for those on low incomes who are liable for water charges.

Question reference: S1W-05515

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 5 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from business organisations to reassess the calculation of the non-domestic rate poundage for 2000-01 and to ensure the continuation of the uniform business rate throughout the United Kingdom; whether it will give details of such representations; whether any organisations support abandoning the uniform business rate and, if so, to provide details; whether Scotland will have a 10.1% higher non-domestic rate poundage level than in England in 2000-01, and whether it has any plans to reassess this level.

I received representations from and/or held meetings on the forthcoming revaluation of non-domestic rates, including the issue of the rate poundage, with the Forum of Private Business, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Scottish Council Development and Industry, CBI Scotland, the Scottish Tourism Forum, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Scotland, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Scottish Valuation and Rating Council, the Chemical Industries Association, Scottish Financial Enterprise and the Scottish Retail Consortium.

I confirmed the Uniform Scottish Rate Poundage for 2000-01 on 1 March at 45.8p. The poundage in England is to be 41.6p. I explained the effect of this in my previous answer of 28 January (S1W-3768, Written Answers Report Vol 4, No 5). There are no plans to reassess the figure.

Question reference: S1W-05518

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 5 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it estimates will not be created or protected as a result of the loss of power to extend aid beyond the de minimis amount, because the assisted area status map has not been agreed between the Department of Trade and Industry and the European Commission, and whether any applications have not proceeded or have been withdrawn as a result of the restriction on the amount of aid by operation of the de minimis rule, in consequence of the assisted area status map not being agreed.

The main form of aid provided by the Scottish Executive, to create and safeguard jobs, is Regional Selective Assistance (RSA). The ending of the 1993-99 Assisted Areas map was well publicised and we received a large number of RSA applications prior to the end of 1999. We are not aware of any RSA applications not proceeding or being withdrawn, in consequence of the assisted area status map not being agreed.

Question reference: S1W-05505

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many public meetings the Water Industry Commissioner has held since his appointment and how many he intends to hold.

The Commissioner has held one public meeting, plus a number of meetings with a range of customer organisations, since his appointment on 1 November.

Once the three Water Industry Consultative Committees are appointed, the Commissioner will hold at least four public meetings with each committee each year. He is also establishing customer panels to provide him with regular input from all groups of customers.

Question reference: S1W-05506

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to abolish the office of the Water Industry Commissioner and instead reform the Scottish Water and Sewerage Customers Council as a consumer watchdog.