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-17792

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 July 2005
Current Status: Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 5 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what methodology the Chief Executive of EventScotland used to justify his statement on 6 July 2005 that holding the 2012 Olympic Games in London would benefit Scotland by many millions of pounds.

The remark made by DavidWilliams, the Chief Executive of EventScotland, about the benefits expected toflow through to Scotland as a result of the Olympic Games being held in London in2012 was based on his personal experience of the benefits which flowed to thewhole of Australia a result of the Sydney Games in 2000.

David Williams was previouslydirector general of the Queensland Government’s tourism department, which ranthe secretariat for Queensland’s Olympic Taskforce 2000 as well as developingstrategies for tourism, business, arts and culture designed to maximise thebenefits of the Sydney Games 2000 for Queensland.

The final report of theOlympic Taskforce recognised the success of the Sydney Games and estimated thetotal value of the benefits to tourism, business and sport to be in excess of$1 billion Australian dollars. The key outcomes achieved for Queenslandincluded A$128 million of Games related business for small to medium sizebusinesses and A$285 million secured by national or international companieswith headquarters in Queensland. It was also estimated that over A$700 million worthof publicity was generated for Queensland as a visitor destination.

Question reference: S2W-18005

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 July 2005
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 4 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in appointing a chief executive and board of advisers for the Co-operative Development Agency; what the terms and conditions of the chief executive will be; whether the board of advisers will be paid; what relationship the agency will have with (a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (c) the Scottish Executive; what its annual budget will be; what targets it is being set; where will it be headquartered, and when will it be fully operational.

Scottish Enterprise(SEn) has the operational responsibility for the establishment of theCo-operative Development Agency (CDA) since the new body will be set up as asubsidiary of SEn. It is anticipated that the CDA will governed by aDevelopment Plan and an Operating Contract agreed with SEn. Operational targetswill be set as part of that process. As the CDA will operate Scotlandwide, Highlands & Islands Enterprise are directly involved in theimplementation and operational arrangements.

Scottish Executive willmaintain an interest in the development and establishment of the CDA as part ofSEn. SEn has been allocated a budget of up to £3 million for the work of theCDA over its first three years. The financial provision will be transferred toSEn as part of its grant-in-aid in due course.

The posts of Chief ExecutiveOfficer, Chair of the Advisory Board and Board Members are to be advertised bySEn in August. The terms and conditions of the Chief Executive will be decidedby Scottish Enterprise, in line with SEn’s current Human Resources policy.Board members will not be remunerated, although an allowance will be availableto cover relevant expenses for attending meetings.

The location of the new bodywill be subject to the considerations of the Executive’s relocation policy andthere will be a presumption against an Edinburgh location. SEn’s current aim is for the CDA to beoperational by January 2006.

Question reference: S2W-17673

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 3 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15617 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, why information on whether a registered mental health nurse was employed in HM Prison Kilmarnock cannot be provided, given that, under the terms of clause 49.1 of the minute of agreement between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, the SPS can provide information about the contract and the performance of the contractor if an enquiry is made from the Parliament, its members and officers, and whether it will now provide the information requested

Question reference: S2W-17681

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 3 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15609 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, why information on the disciplining of HM Prison Kilmarnock staff on failure to carry out watches, given that, under the terms of clause 49.1 of the minute of agreement between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, the SPS can provide information about the contract and the performance of the contractor if an enquiry is made from the Parliament, its members and officers, and whether it will now provide the information requested.

Question reference: S2W-17657

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 3 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance the Scottish Prison Service provides to each prisons management on night-time observational and monitoring procedures in relation to prisoner suicide watches, particularly where the person undertaking checks is unsure as to whether or not the prisoner on watch is asleep.

Question reference: S2W-17680

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 3 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15608 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, why the information on the number of HM Prison Kilmarnock officers who have been disciplined for falsifying watch logs cannot be provided, given that, under the terms of clause 49.1 of the minute of agreement between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, the SPS can provide information about the contract and the performance of the contractor if an enquiry is made from the Parliament, its members and officers, and whether it will now provide the information requested.

Question reference: S2W-17678

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 3 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15612 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, why information on whether senior management from HM Prison Kilmarnock involved in the fatal accident report on the death of James Barclay are still in post cannot be provided, given that, under the terms of clause 49.1 of the minute of agreement between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, the SPS can provide information about the contract and the performance of the contractor if an enquiry is made from the Parliament, its members and officers, and whether it will now provide the information requested.

Question reference: S2W-17675

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 3 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-15572 and S2W-17045 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April and 14 June 2005, why information on the number of officers of HM Prison Kilmarnock dismissed for disciplinary offences cannot be provided, given that, under the terms of clause 49.1 of the minute of agreement between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, the SPS can provide information about the contract and the performance of the contractor if an enquiry is made from the Parliament, its members and officers, and whether it will now provide the information requested.

Question reference: S2W-17674

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 3 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15616 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, why information on how many registered mental health nurses are employed at HM Prison Kilmarnock cannot be provided, given that, under the terms of clause 49.1 of the minute of agreement between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, the SPS can provide information about the contract and the performance of the contractor if an enquiry is made from the Parliament, its members and officers, and whether it will provide the information requested

Question reference: S2W-17679

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 3 August 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15590 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, why information on the training provided for HM Prison Kilmarnock officers on the completion of a reception risk assessment form cannot be provided, given that, under the terms of clause 49.1 of the minute of agreement between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, the SPS can provide information about the contract and the performance of the contractor if an enquiry is made from the Parliament, its members and officers, and whether it will now provide the information requested.