- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 14 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-79 by John Swinney on 5 June 2007, what the clear, strategic outcomes at national level will be and what the Executive’s national policy outcomes are.
Answer
The government has a single setof strategic, national policy outcomes for Scotland. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-78 on5 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:
www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimated (a) costs and (b) savings are associated with the recent reorganisation of its departments.
Answer
A transitional team has beenformed to implement corporate changes to the new structure at an estimated costof £50,000. Approximately £694,000 per year will be saved.
- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 12 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimated annual cost savings are associated with the reduction in the number of ministers for Session 3 of the Parliament.
Answer
We estimate the annual savingsto be in the region of £924,000. This is made up from:
| Ministers | £230,000 |
| Private Office staff | £394,000 |
| 2 Heads of Department | £300,000 |
- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 11 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for climate change.
Answer
The First Minister set outthe Executive’s climate change objectives in his statement to Parliament on 23May. A copy of the statement is available on the Scottish Parliament website at
www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports.
This confirms that the Parliament will be asked to support a Climate Change Bill setting out ambitioustargets to reduce emissions in Scotland.
- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 11 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for deregulation.
Answer
Our priorities are to createregulatory conditions in Scotland that allow delivery of our five strategic objectivesat least cost to industry. I will meet with industry to establish their prioritiesfor action and have already agreed to meet the industry Chair of the RegulatoryReview Group.
- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 11 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for the Scottish budget.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s topobjectives for its budget will reflect the Government’s purpose which is to focusgovernment and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunitiesfor all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economicgrowth.
- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 11 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for the economy.
Answer
Our overarching priority is fasterand more sustainable economic growth. We start from the ambition and belief thatwe can rank among the top 15 most competitive nations in the world and at leastmatch United Kingdom growth in the lifetime of this Parliament.
Economic success is the prerequisiteof every other government priority, whether that is a world-class education system,a properly funded and respected national health service or getting people into employmentas a means of fostering a sense of responsibility and social cohesion.
We believe it is time for a neweconomic approach for Scotland, built on a shared desire to increase our nation’s competitiveness.We will set out this New Economic Approach to Parliament and publish it in fullin the autumn; this will set the context for our broader economic growth strategyand for the spending review.
- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 7 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for corporate social responsibility, the voluntary sector and the social economy.
Answer
We recognise that volunteers,voluntary organisations and social enterprises have a major contribution to makeacross our five strategic objectives and we will work closely with the sector toenhance the lives of individuals and communities across Scotland.
We are committed to supportingthe wider social economy and the important contribution social enterprise can maketo life in Scotland.
- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimate is of the cost of introducing its new business rate measures in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09.
Answer
We will bring forward detailedplans for business rates and their associated costs as part of the budget processin late autumn this year.
- Asked by: Ms Wendy Alexander, MSP for Paisley North, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 5 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for the relocation of civil service jobs.
Answer
I am currently considering thefuture arrangements for reaching decisions on the locations of public bodies, inlight of the experience of previous relocation policy, the findings of the Financeand Audit Committees of the Scottish Parliament and our wider commitment to reviewthe cluttered landscape of public bodies. An announcement will be made when appropriate.
