Questions and answers

Question reference: S1W-03155

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2605 by Henry McLeish on 30 November 1999, what percentage of forecast Regional Selective Assistance expenditure is already committed in each year from 1999-2000 to 2002-03.

The figures requested are given in the table below :

RSA (gross)	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03
Baseline (£millions)	79.8	71.0	85.0	85.0
Committed (%)	84%	90%	57%	38%

RSA forecasts are calculated quarterly and these figures relate to the amount committed at the start of October 1999. The committed percentages will tend to increase each quarter as new RSA offers are made and accepted. The assessment of committed expenditure takes into account the fact that grants are typically paid over a number of years, and that a proportion of projects will not go ahead as planned.

Question reference: S1W-03141

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1030 by Henry McLeish on 6 September 1999, whether it will provide an updated breakdown of expenditure to date on each New Deal programme other than the New Deal for Young People.

Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of the New Deal. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing Scottish organisations as indicated in the answer to question S1W-3137 also answered today.

The expenditure on each New Deal programme other than the New Deal for Young People in Scotland from April 1998 to November 1999 was:

(a) New Deal 50 plus pathfinder: £0.02 million

(b) New Deal 25 plus: £9.2 million

(c) New Deal for Partners of Unemployed People: £0.2 million

(d) New Deal for Disabled People pilot: £0.5 million

(e) New Deal for Lone Parents: £3.3 million

The figure for New Deal 25 plus includes spending on employment subsidies. The other New Deal programmes listed do not offer an employment subsidy, but the figures given include various other allowance payments.

These figures understate the total costs accrued due to time lags in billing and reimbursement.In addition, there are central running and marketing costs for each programme which have not been included in these figures.

Question reference: S1W-03160

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of all public appointments it makes, including judicial appointments, and which minister is responsible for making each appointment.

The information requested is shown in the tables below. The tables cover appointments to NDPBs sponsored by the Scottish Executive and judicial appointments.

Appointments made by individual Ministers

Responsible Minister	Body
First Minister	Advisory Panel of Economic Consultants
	Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd (Chair only)
	Central Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace
	Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd (Chair only)
	Justice of the Peace Advisory Committees (32)
	Local Government Boundary Commission (Chair only)
	Parole Board for Scotland (Chair only)
	Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board
	Scottish Homes (Chair only)
	Scottish Legal Aid Board (Chair only)
	Scottish Qualifications Authority (Chair only)
	Scottish Records Advisory Council
	Scottish Transport Group (Chair only)
Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice	Scottish Law Commission
	Scottish Legal Aid Board (members only)
	Parole Board for Scotland (members only)
Lord Advocate	Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals
Minister for Health and Community Care	Health Appointments Advisory Committee
	National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland
	Scottish Hospitals Endowment Research Trust
Minister for Health and Community Care (cont.)	Scottish Medical Practices Committee
	Clinical Standards Board for Scotland
	Health Boards (15)
	Health Education Board for Scotland
	National Health Service Trusts (28)
	Post Qualification Education Board for NHS Pharmacists in Scotland
	Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards
	Scottish Advisory Committee on the Medical Workforce
	Scottish Ambulance Service Board
	Scottish Council for Post Graduate Medical and Dental Education
	Scottish Dental Practice Board
	State Hospitals Board for Scotland
	Scottish Hospital Trust
	The Common Services Agency
Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning	Highlands and Islands Enterprise
	Scottish Enterprise
	Scottish Further Education Funding Council
	Scottish Further Education Unit
	Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
	Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board (members only)
	Scottish Tourist Board
	Scottish Qualifications Authority (members only)
Minister for Rural Affairs	Crofters Commission
	Deer Commission for Scotland
	Hill Farming Advisory Committee for Scotland
	Scottish Agricultural Wages Board
	Scottish Standing Committee for the Calculation of Residual Values of Fertilisers and Feed Stuffs
Minister for Transport and the Environment	Advisory Committee on Sites of Special Scientific Interest
	Building Standards Advisory Committee
	Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd (members only)
	East of Scotland Water Authority
	North of Scotland Water Authority
	Scottish Environment Protection Agency
	Scottish Natural Heritage
	Water Industry Commissioner
Minister for Transport and the Environment (cont.)	West of Scotland Water Authority
	Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (members only)
	Scottish Transport Group (members only)
Minister for Communities	Advisory Committee on Scotland's Travelling People
	Local Government Boundary Commission (members only)
	Rent Assessment Panel for Scotland
	Scottish Homes (members only)
Minister for Finance	Scottish Valuation and Rating Council
Minister for Children and Education	Community Learning Scotland
	Children's Panels (32)
	National Galleries of Scotland
	National Museums of Scotland
	Royal Fine Arts Commission for Scotland
	Scottish Arts Council
	Scottish Childcare Board
	Scottish Children's Reporter Administration
	Scottish Council for Educational Technology (members only)
	Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum
	Scottish Screen
	Sportscotland
Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs	Electricity Fisheries Committee
	Hannah Research Institute
	Macaulay Land Use Research Institute
	Moredun Research Institute
	Rowett Research Institute
	Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
	Scottish Crop Research Institute
Deputy Minister for Justice	Scottish Advisory Committee on Drug Misuse
Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport	Ancient Monuments Board
	General Teaching Council for Scotland (four members only)
	Historic Buildings Council for Scotland
	Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

Appointments made by Ministers acting jointly

Responsible Ministers	Body
First Minister and Deputy First Minister	Accounts Commission for Scotland
	Scottish Council for Educational Technology (Chair only)
	Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board (Chair only)
Minister for Finance and Minister for Communities	Accounts Commission for Scotland (members only)

Appointments made by Her Majesty The Queen on the recommendation of the First Minister

Body

Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland

All Judges and Sheriffs with the exception of the Lord President and the Lord Justice Clerk (see note)

National Library of Scotland (five members only)

Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission

Note: In the case of the Lord President and the Lord Justice Clerk, the recommendation is made to Her Majesty by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister may only nominate someone who has been recommended to him by the First Minister.

Question reference: S1W-03137

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-303 by Henry McLeish on 29 July 1999, whether it will provide updated information on the number of companies which have taken on young people under the employment option of the New Deal for Young People and what percentage of trading businesses this figure represents.

Employment Policy is reserved to the UK Government which therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of the New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive. Many partner organisations at local level also provide New Deal services under contract or provide funds and other resources, including training funds to enhance the quality of New Deal in their areas. The public and voluntary sector organisations which contribute to the New Deal in this way fall within the remit of the Scottish Executive.The number of young people in Scotland who had secured sustained jobs through the programme to the end of September was 12,930 and the number of companies which had signed New Deal employer agreements was 10,094. This represents 6.7% of businesses registered for VAT and/or PAYE in Scotland. Information about the number of companies which have taken on New Deal recruits is not available.

Question reference: S1W-03147

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reviewed East Ayrshire Council's direct labour organisation in the last three months.

Question reference: S1W-03140

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-300 by Henry McLeish on 29 July 1999, whether it will provide updated information on the number of people who have joined the New Deal for Young People and on the expenditure incurred on this programme to date.

Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of the New Deal. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing Scottish organisations as indicated in the answer to question S1W-3137 also answered today.By the end of September 39,700 had joined the programme in Scotland. Expenditure incurred to that date was approximately £34.5 million, excluding the cost of allowances where separate information on Scotland is not available. This figure understates the total costs accrued due to time lags in billing and reimbursement.

Question reference: S1W-03146

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reviewed North Lanarkshire Council's direct labour organisation in the last three months.

Question reference: S1W-03161

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Donald Dewar on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its ministers have met the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Question reference: S1W-03169

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to require Local Enterprise Company board members to be accredited by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

We have no plans to bring Local Enterprise Company board appointments under the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. They are private companies that operate under contract to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the criteria for Board membership are set out in their operating contracts. In making appointments to their Boards, LECs have adopted principles similar to those recommended by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Question reference: S1W-03174

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1208 by Mr Jack McConnell on 29 November 1999, whether it will provide a breakdown of the budgeted and actual costs incurred by Scotland Europa in relation to Scotland House.

Chamber and committees