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 MSPs 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: S2W-18379

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 9 September 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total remuneration costs were for the members of Scottish Enterprise's executive board in each of the last two financial years and what the estimated costs are for the current financial year.

Remuneration of executive board members is determined by Scottish Enterprise within pay remits approved by Scottish ministers. Details of remuneration of senior directors for 2003-04 and 2004-05 are contained within Scottish Enterprise’s annual accounts, copies of which are held in the Parliament’s Reference centre (SE/2005/178). Estimated costs for the current year are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise.

Question reference: S2W-18376

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2005
Current Status: Answered by George Reid on 6 September 2005

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many visitors to the Parliament have been found carrying knives since September 2004; how many knives have been (a) returned to the owner or (b) confiscated, and whether people carrying knives have been reported to the police.

The number of knives seized from visitors to the Parliament by security staff since the recording system was introduced in November 2004 until the 13 August 2005 is 3,575. The vast majority of these are the small pocket variety and are returned to the owner on their exit from the building. In the case of knives which have a blade in excess of 3.5 inches these are seized by the Parliament Police Unit. Information about knives seized and retained by the police or persons being reported to the procurator fiscal is not held by the Parliament but may be held by Lothian and Borders Police.

Question reference: S2W-18526

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 August 2005
Current Status: Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 5 September 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the event that Glasgow is successful in its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, it will consider making representations to Her Majesty's Government to (a) create a Commonwealth Games lottery or (b) make the newly-created Olympic Games Lottery a joint Olympic-Commonwealth lottery to assist in funding the creation of the necessary infrastructure for Glasgow to host the games.

On 16 August 2005 at Hampden Park, the First Minister announced that the Scottish Executive will be giving its full support to a bid by the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland to stage the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

We have not requested any funding from the UK Government although its support in areas such as security and visas will be most important. We expect to meet the great majority of the costs ourselves but aim to maximise corporate support and sponsorship. We will also explore the possibilities of lottery monies being available to help fund these Games.

Question reference: S2W-18213

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 July 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 1 September 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many letters addressed to ministers in the last year have not been seen by them.

The specific information requestedis not held centrally.

Ministers receive letters froma wide range of correspondents; some are replied to personally and others are forwardedto the Ministerial Correspondence Unit for recording and processing. There aretwo categories of response; the first is ministerial correspondence where a response is signed by the minister and the second is an official reply which is preparedand signed by an official on behalf of a minister.

The amount of correspondencehandled through the Ministerial Correspondence Unit for the period 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 is setout below:

Ministerial correspondence 14,677

Official correspondence 21,224.

Question reference: S2W-18217

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 July 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 1 September 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what its itemised budget was for the G8 summit and from which source each item will be funded.

I refer to the answer to questionS2W-17796 on 28 July 2005. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available onthe Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Details of the expenditure onG8 related issues will be published later in the year along with information asto the sources from which that expenditure was met.

Question reference: S2W-18291

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 August 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 29 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would expect the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to agree to meet the sponsors of a proposed £16 million investment project designated for an area in Lanarkshire with high unemployment.

Question reference: S2W-18221

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 July 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 26 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available for individuals and companies who are developing new business opportunities with Russia.

Scottish Development International(SDI) supports Scottish business interests in Russia through its own services(including its representative in Moscow) and through partnerships with other organisations.

The assistance available includesa wide range of services to help Scottish firms develop Russian markets, tradinglinks and strategic partnerships. The support on offer includes:

helping companies prepare tointernationalise and providing market research

supporting market entry includingestablishing local contacts and distribution links, and providing discounted rateson serviced office space in the market

assisting Scottish companiesand organisations on outward trade missions and attending major exhibitions.

To offer this range of assistanceSDI works with Scottish trade organisations and partners across Scotland includinglocal authorities and Chambers of Commerce, as well as with UK counterpartorganisations like UK Trade and Investment, and UK Embassies and consulates.

Given the size and forecast growthin opportunities in the Russian market, SDI are currently preparing to appoint asecond permanent representative to Moscow, as part of the planned expansion of SDI’sfield representation from around 50 to over 80 staff.

Question reference: S2W-18220

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 July 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 26 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the consultation and approval procedure is for re-organising local enterprise companies.

There is no defined process.A minor change, such as the recent boundary change involving Moray, Badenoch andStrathspey was proposed by Highland and Islands Enterprise and agreed by the Executive. Werethere to be any proposals for more substantial change, such as in the role or numberof LECs, ministers would consider what consultation was appropriate in the circumstancesbefore taking any decision. No such proposals currently exist.

Question reference: S2W-18378

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2005
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 26 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total spend of it and its agencies was on modern apprenticeship programmes in each of the last two financial years and what the estimated spend is for the current financial year.

The modern apprenticeship (MA)programme is delivered by the enterprise networks and is funded through their Grant-in-Aidallocations. The actual expenditure on the programme is therefore an operationalmatter for them. Annual accounts are available on their websites www.scottish-enterprise.com and www.hient.com. and will contain expenditure onLearning and Skills, of which the MA programme is a part.

So far, in 2005-06, the Executivehas spent £2,738.20 on the wider development of MAs from the Apprenticeship DevelopmentFund with an estimated further spending of £60,000 planned for the rest of thisfinancial year. No money was used to support MA development activity in 2003-04or 2004-05.

Question reference: S2W-18216

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 July 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 25 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer to question S2W-17796 by Mr Tom McCabe on 28 July 2005, whether it will list the costs already identified in relation to the G8 summit and indicate when a full assessment of costs will be available.

As indicated in my answer to question S2W-17796 on 28 July 2005, once the full costs have been established we will publish the information. It is likely to be later in the year before all the costs are known and a comprehensive statement can be published.

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/wa.search.