- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 26 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21642 by Patricia Ferguson on 13 January 2006, whether this indicates that it has been given no indication that the decision of the Scottish Football Association not to participate in a British football team will lead to the withdrawal of Hampden Park as a venue for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Answer
The decision not to participate in a British football team is a matter for the SFA and the other home country football associations.
The Scottish Executive has been informed by LOCOG that there is no change to the football venues outlined in the 2012 Candidate File which was submitted to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 26 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive who appointed Julia Bracewell as the Scottish representative on the Nations and Regions Group for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Answer
I appointed Julia Bracewell as the Scottish representative on the Nations and Regions Group for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities in respect of reducing the amount of material going to landfill.
Answer
There have been extensive discussions with local authorities on this issue and waste management generally is frequently discussed at my regular meetings with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. We have provided authorities with significant resources through the Strategic Waste Fund to prevent waste arising, improve recycling and composting facilities and divert residual waste away from landfill and we have also asked local authorities to submit Strategic Outline Cases by the end of January on further proposals to divert waste away from landfill.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 26 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21582 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005, whether, during discussions with Her Majesty’s Government on the issue of US agencies using Scottish airports for refuelling for flights in which it is alleged that suspected terrorists are being carried to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of interrogation, it was made aware at any stage of the opinion expressed in a written memorandum to the Prime Minister that the papers found by those compiling the memorandum suggest the existence of more cases of US agencies requesting to use UK territory to facilitate rendition flights than those acknowledged by the Home Secretary, as reported by the BBC on 19 January 2006.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does not comment on the status or handling of leaked documents.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 26 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21644 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how this indicates whether it has ruled out undertaking an independent and detailed assessment of the costs and benefits to Scotland of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has not ruled out the possibility of undertaking an independent and detailed assessment of the costs and benefits to Scotland of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage public agencies and businesses to translate the fact that “the G8 has a particularly high profile in Scotland’s main tourism markets” into economic opportunities for Scotland, as set out by SQW Economic Development Consultants in their report, Economic Impact of Hosting the 2005 G8 Summit at Gleneagles.
Answer
VisitScotland will build on theinternational TV news coverage ofScotland hosting the G8 summit, which showcased many iconic aspects of what makes this country attractive toleisure and business visitors from overseas. Business tourism in particular is a very important segmentof the overall tourism market, and for that reason VisitScotland’s Business TourismUnit was involved with aspects of the planning for G8. The unit will use the experience of the summit to strengthenthe international marketing of Scotland as a world class business tourism destination.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific actions have been taken to implement its commitment, referred to in A Science Strategy for Scotland, to ensure the effective use of scientific evidence in policy formulation and resource allocation by government and to review regularly the policies and spending of each of its departments against the key objectives of the strategy and related priorities; what early results have been achieved by these actions, and what the responses have been from the academic and business communities to such actions.
Answer
The Scottish Executivesubscribes to all the principles of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser’sGuidelines on the use of science in government, and implements these as fullyas it can.
The Executive usesscientific evidence, along with many other forms of evidence, as an integraland fundamental part of the policy-making process. An example is the work bythe Health Economics Research Unit, funded by the Scottish Executive, to helpinform policy on banning smoking in public places. Since A Science Strategyfor Scotland was published in 2001, the Executive’s departments which spendsignificantly on scientific research have developed strategies to help targetspending more effectively on research which will help to improve the health andquality of life of the people of Scotland.
The Executive has formed anindependent Scottish Science Advisory Committee, drawn from the academic,business and other parts of the science community, to advise it on prioritiesfor science. This committee has published a number of reports evaluating theExecutive’s progress on meeting science priorities. The Executive has alsoimproved internal co-ordination through regular meetings of the ScienceCross-cutting Group, comprising senior officials having responsibilities formanaging science.
The Executive will befurther strengthening its management of science this year by appointing a LeadChief Scientific Adviser. The post-holder will oversee activity to improvefurther the management of science in the Executive, in partnership with therecently appointed Chief Scientific Adviser in the Environment and RuralAffairs Department and the Chief Scientist in Health Department.
The Executive plans topublish a report very shortly detailing progress on all areas of the sciencestrategy, which will provide further details and examples of the use of sciencein policy-making. The Executive intends over the course of the next year torefresh the science strategy.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a technology strategy in parallel to A Science Strategy for Scotland and, if so, when.
Answer
Technology is recognised asa key strategic issue within the Scottish Executive’s Framework for EconomicDevelopment in Scotland and A Smart Successful Scotland. Weintend to update the Science Strategy for Scotland in the coming year andtechnology issues will be fully addressed as part of this review.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reactions of the print and electronic media have been to A Science Strategy for Scotland and whether there is evidence of any trend towards increasing in-depth coverage of science in the media as a result of the implementation of the strategy.
Answer
Media coverage of the launchof
A Science Strategy for Scotland in August 2001 was very positive.
The Science Strategy commitsthe Executive to supporting initiatives that enable the media, scientists andpolicy makers to work more closely together to effectively promote science tothe people of Scotland. The Executive supports a wide range of publicscience initiatives which frequently attract helpful media attention, forexample Science Week and the Edinburgh International Science Festival. the Executive is supporting the British Association’s Science CommunicationConference in April, which will in part consider how to engage the media in abetter coverage of science issues. The Executive plans to publish a reportshortly, detailing progress on all areas of the Science Strategy, which willprovide further details of activities in this area.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has collected to monitor Scotland’s progress in maintaining or expanding its science and technology links across the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond.
Answer
The Scottish Executive doesnot collect information routinely which monitors links between the science andtechnology base in Scotland and elsewhere. Such links can take a very widevariety of forms, ranging from informal networking and conferences to formalcollaborations between universities, businesses and research institutes. Animportant example is the Edinburgh to Stanford link, funded by a £6 milliongrant from Scottish Enterprise, which is making excellent progress. the Executive has recently asked the Scottish Funding Council and UniversitiesScotland to consider the feasibility of collecting information routinely tomonitor research collaborations between universities here and outside Scotland.
