- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 12 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to direct VisitScotland to collate annually information on categories of expenditure by tourists, broken down by area tourist board area.
Answer
We have no plans to direct VisitScotland on the detail of the statistics that it collects.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 11 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) employees and (b) former employees of its Security Branch were (i) entitled to and (ii) have been successfully contacted about backdated travel time allowances to date.
Answer
Entitlement to these allowances can only be determined following receipt of applications and analysis of relevant records. Contact was made with 57 serving Security Force staff. Letters were sent, by recorded delivery, to the last known addresses of 135 former Security Force staff, which resulted in 37 replies.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 8 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received on whether an action of judicial review could be brought against Scottish ministers in respect of any failure to perform their obligations under section 2 of the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001 where a Budget Bill introduced into the Parliament does not include provision that the income arising from the graduate endowment for the financial year to which the bill relates be used for the purposes of student support and what order the court could make if such an action were successful.
Answer
Whether legal advice is sought by, or provided to, ministers on any subject is a confidential matter.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 8 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how it enforces section 2 of the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001.
Answer
Section 2 of the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001 imposes a duty on Scottish ministers. No enforcement issues arise as a result of this section.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 6 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hold a public inquiry into plans for infrastructure work at the Auchenkilns roundabout, Cumbernauld.
Answer
I will have a report on responses and objections to the published draft proposals for replacing the A80 Auchenkilns Roundabout this month. I will then decide if it is necessary to hold a public local inquiry.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 6 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will rule out applying road tolls or other charges for the use of any planned new motorway along the A80/M80 route and for what period any such restriction would apply.
Answer
The consultant's plan to 2010 for the A80, as part of the Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies, does not contain any recommendations for road tolls or other charges on an upgraded A80. In any event, there is no legislation in place that would permit such charges to be introduced on the existing trunk road network.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 31 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28656 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 September 2002, what its definition is of audit.
Answer
In the context of the answer given to question S1W-28656, the term "audit" is defined as a review of the Scottish Executive Security Branch's systems and procedures by the Scottish Executive Audit Services or Audit Scotland.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 30 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive from which budget backdated payments for travel time allowances at its Security Branch are being met; who is overseeing the application process for these payments; who has day-to-day control and involvement in the process, and what arbitration and appeal structure is in place to consider any dispute regarding these payments.
Answer
Payments are being met from the Security Branch administration budget. The application and authorisation process is being managed by Security Branch, who liase with the claimants, assist them in completing the relevant forms where necessary and check the validity of the claims. The payment process is managed by the Pay Administration Team in conjunction with ADP Chessington, the Executive's Payroll Bureau.Any individual who feels dissatisfied at the outcome of their claim should, in the first instance, raise the matter with Security Branch. If still dissatisfied individuals should appeal to the Director of Personnel and Pay.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 30 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28657 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 September 2002, why establishing entitlement to payment from historical records for ex-members of its security branch was a complex task; how many former employees it (a) attempted to make contact with and (b) succeeded in contacting; how many former employees that it succeeded in contacting have made successful claims, and whether full-time and part-time employees were included in this process.
Answer
This exercise involved identifying individuals employed since April 1995, confirming last known addresses, the interrogation of electronic records held by the Executive and ADP Chessington, and also a resource-intensive manual check of individual paper-based records. The exercise covered full-time and part-time staff.A total of 135 letters were sent by recorded delivery to ex-Security Force members, of which 42 were returned undelivered and 56 produced no reply. Of the 37 replies received, 11 cases have been completed and submitted for payment. In 11 cases relevant pay records and claim forms have been issued to the individuals, but to date no claims have been received. Six cases could not be progressed due to the absence of any supporting documentation or records. In four cases pay records were transferred in 1997 to Scottish Prison Service following the transfer of staff to the agency. The individuals have been advised to contact their pay section to obtain the relevant information. In two cases the individuals indicated that they did not intend to submit a claim. A further three cases remain on-going. In addition to these cases the department is reviewing four cases involving individuals who have deceased since leaving the Scottish Executive.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any former tied housing stock sold to employees of the Scottish Prison Service or others contained asbestos and, if so, what action it took to advise purchasers of this situation at the time of the sale.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:Staff quarters would be designed, built, and maintained in accordance with Building Regulations and Health and Safety Legislation in force at the time. As with all public sector housing it is highly unlikely that any asbestos would be present other than in the form of asbestos cement sheets which were commonly specified up until the 1970s for roofs [garages] and verges.It is not known whether any former staff quarters sold by the SPS contained asbestos. It is standard practice for purchasers to instruct their own survey of a property and any issues raised by their surveyor or their solicitors are dealt with as part of the conveyancing process.
