- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 11 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to respond to the European Commission's consultation document, WTO Members' Requests to the EC and its Member States for Improved Market Access for Services, and, if so, what its response will be.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will not be submitting a formal response to the European Commission's consultation document. It will input to the UK position on the draft EC offer.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 11 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32594 by Iain Gray on 3 January 2003, whether it will submit a formal response to the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) consultation exercise on all aspects of the current round of General Agreement on Trade in Services and whether it will publish any such response.
Answer
The Scottish Executive was involved in the drafting of the DTI's consultation document and will have the opportunity to input to the UK position on the draft EC offer. This position will take account of the consultation exercise.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 11 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government opposing any further moves towards liberalisation of education and culture services under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is continuing to work closely with the Department of Trade and Industry and other UK Government Departments in respect of the current General Agreement on Trade in Services negotiations. The UK negotiates in the World Trade Organization as part of the European Community. The European Commission has now submitted to the Council and the European Parliament the EC draft offer. This does not propose commitments in the education or audio visual sectors. Their proposals will be discussed with the Scottish Executive as part of the Department of Trade and Industry's assessment process.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 11 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-32773 by Ms Margaret Curran on 7 January 2003, whether it would expect to be consulted by the Home Office regarding the siting of accommodation centres in Scotland under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 before or after the decision on such siting has been taken.
Answer
Section 40 (1) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 provides that the Home Secretary may not make arrangements for the provision of premises in Scotland for use as an accommodation centre unless he has consulted Scottish ministers.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32580 by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 January 2003, when information will be available on what the specific benefits of liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services have been, or are expected to be, to the health sector.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is continuing to work closely with the Department of Trade and Industry and other UK Government Departments in respect of the current General Agreement on Trade in Services negotiations. The UK negotiates in the World Trade Organisation as part of the European Community. The Commission has now submitted to the Council and the European Parliament the EU draft offer. This does not propose commitments in the health sector. Their proposals will be discussed with the Scottish Executive as part of the Department of Trade and Industry's assessment process.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 10 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32597 by Cathy Jamieson on 3 January 2003, how the statement that "WTO members have the right to choose in which sectors and to what extent they want to make commitments" is consistent with the answer to question S1W-32596 by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 January 2003 which indicated that no assessment had been made of the legal implications of the BetterCare Group Ltd ruling on the impact and operation of the General Agreement on Trade in Services.
Answer
School level state education will be exempt from any pressure to privatise its provision under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what role it plays in the Assembly of European Regions.
Answer
The Executive is not a member of the Assembly of European Regions.The Executive pursues Scottish interests as a member of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and is an active participant in both the group of Regions with Legislative Powers and the Committee of the Regions. The Executive is also represented in the UK delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32592 by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 January 2003, when information will be available on what adverse effects on trade in services in health need to be reduced or eliminated to provide effective market access for foreign service providers under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33596 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30235 by Malcolm Chisholm on 17 October 2002, what adverse effects on trade in services in health need to be reduced or eliminated to provide effective market access for foreign service providers under the General Agreement on Trade in Services.
Answer
The information relating to any adverse effects is not available at present.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30229 by Malcolm Chisholm on 17 October 2002, whether it will set out what the specific benefits of liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade and Services have been, or are expected to be, to the health sector.
Answer
The information relating to any specific benefits of liberalisation to the health sector is not available at present.
