- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to the European Union on the inclusion of water services in the latest round of liberalisations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services
Answer
Matters relating to the regulationof international trade, including responsibility for GATS negotiations, are reservedto the UK Government. The Scottish Executive has ensured that the UK Government’s representationsto the European Union on GATS reflect the Executive’s commitment to retain Scotland’s publicwater services in the public sector.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7186 by Lewis Macdonald on 26 April 2004, what impact it considers that wind farms have on the environment.
Answer
The Scottish Executive’s supportfor all forms of renewable energy recognises the contribution that they can maketowards reducing harmful emissions, thus helping to protect and preserve Scotland’s environment.The local environmental impacts of each proposed development will vary, and areassessed against existing and robust planning guidelines as part of a consultativeprocess involving all key stakeholders.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners may occupy a prisoner place, as defined in the Scottish Prison Service's key performance targets.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
The Scottish Prison Service’sKey Performance Indicators do not specify a number of prisoners.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7186 by Lewis Macdonald on 26 April 2004, what would constitute a new plan or programme for the purposes of the directive.
Answer
Article 2 (a) provides a definitionof “plans and programmes” for the purposes of the Directive. Work on the preciseimplementation of the Directive is currently being taken forward by Executive officials.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has made of the effects of liberalisation of services under the General Agreement on Trade in Services on its areas of responsibility.
Answer
The regulation of internationaltrade is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with theDepartment of Trade and Industry and other Government departments on a range oftrade issues, including those relating to the General Agreement on Trade in Services(GATS).
The Scottish Executive is liaising with the DTI on the progress of the GATS negotiations, and maintainsan ongoing assessment of any potential impact of GATS on its responsibilities. Thiswill continue to inform our discussions with DTI, in order to ensure that Scottishinterests are considered.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs have been to the Scottish Legal Aid Board in respect of cases appealed to the House of Lords in each of the last five years.
Answer
The figures are:
| | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 |
| House of Lords | £57,000 | £86,000 | £106,000 | £2,000 | £72,000 |
| Judicial Committee of the Privy Council | | | £228,000 | £99,000 | £110,000 |
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what records it is keeping of the use by local authorities of their power to advance well-being under section 20 of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003.
Answer
The power to advance well-beingis designed as an enabling measure, giving local authorities the freedom to workin a more innovative and creative way in responding to the needs of their communities.
The overall intention of the act is to offer trust withina framework: it is for the local authorityto decide whether any particular action would be likely to promote or improve thewell-being of its area and/or persons in it. Accordingly, local authorities arenot required to report to the Scottish Executive on how they have used, or intend to use, the power, andno records will be maintained centrally.
Guidance on the useof the power was issued by Scottish ministers in April 2004 (The Local Governmentin Scotland Act 2003: Power to Advance Well-Being Guidance). It may be foundon the Executive’s internet site at the followingaddress:
www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/localgov/pawbg-00.asp.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, for each non-police reporting agency that provides reports to the procurator fiscal, which agencies provide electronic reports and, for each agency that does not, when it expects the agency to introduce electronic reporting.
Answer
Only two specialist reportingagencies provide electronic reports to Procurators Fiscal: the Vehicle and OperatorServices Agency and South Ayrshire Council. The Crown Office and Procurator FiscalService is establishing a secure web site that will allow all other specialist reportingagencies to provide reports on-line to Procurators Fiscal by the end of 2004.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to remove road maintenance functions from local authorities.
Answer
The Executive has no plans toremove local road maintenance functions from local government.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 11 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-1869 and S2W-3121 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 September and 14 October 2003 respectively, why the proportionate increase to the baseline figures to reflect the provision of additional prisoner places was incorrect.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
It was a clerical error.
