- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive to state what plans it has to upgrade the A80 road and what representations it has received from home-owners affected by previous proposals.
Answer
Proposals for upgrading to motorway the A80 route between Stepps and Haggs to motorway are being considered within the Strategic Road Review. My answer to Mr Tosh on 26 June provides information on progress of the Review.The Scottish Executive has received representations from one home owner.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 22 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement the Financial Issues Advisory Group recommendations in full and, if not, to state precisely which of the recommendations it does not intend to implement in full.
Answer
In both the Statement I made to Parliament on Thursday 24 June, and my presentation to the joint committees on Wednesday 30 June I made clear our intention to broadly accept the FIAG report. The annex to the report presented to the committees on 30 June included detailed information on each recommendation.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 19 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assess the impact of quarrying at Croy Hill on the historic Roman sites in the area and whether these are different from any existing plans.
Answer
We have no plans to assess the impact of quarrying at Croy Hill. A section of the Antonine Wall here is scheduled and in the care of Historic Scotland. The existing quarrying has no direct impact on the monument. Any proposal to quarry within the scheduled area would require scheduled monument consent from Historic Scotland.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 13 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer by Nicol Stephen on 17 June 1999, what plans it has to consult the Parliament on the number and range of new economic indicators required; how it intends to keep the Parliament informed of the progress of the review of additional needs and of any planned changes to official economics statistics, and what wider consultation it plans in relation to these changes.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is currently developing a work programme to improve the dissemination of economic and statistics knowledge on the Scottish economy, raise the profile of the Scottish Executive's thinking on the economy and improve external dialogue and policy-related research capabilities. The Parliament will be kept informed of the progress of the review of Scottish economic indicators through the Executive's external publication series, the format of which is currently under review.Wider consultation with the economic community is also proposed via a programme of increased dialogue with the external community to facilitate the flow of knowledge, together with the commissioning of policy-related economic research on selected elements of the Scottish economy.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 2 July 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer what plans the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has to implement the recommendations of paragraph 81 on page 172 of the Consultative Steering Group Report
Answer
An introductory seminar was run for MSPs on Friday 21 May on the subject of Finance. Speakers from The Scottish Office and the Parliament presented an outline of the financial process as it is currently envisaged. Handouts of the presentation were provided on the day and, subsequently, to other members on request. Copies are also available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre along with copies of the briefing prepared by The Scottish Office for incoming Ministers.
A variety of briefing material is also being produced by the Scottish Parliament Clerking Directorate for the Finance Committee. Much of this may well be applicable more widely across members and will be made available.Further training on the Parliament's financial affairs will be developed once the Finance Bill, which will set out all the procedures and timetables governing financial aspects, has been agreed by the Parliament.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 2 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many staff are employed in ministerial or junior ministerial private offices as policy advisers and related direct support staff and (b) what are the payscales in which each of these staff are placed.
Answer
I refer Mr Wilson to the answers I gave to Mr Gorrie on 24 June (S1W-4, 5 and 8). Individual salaries are not revealed in order to protect the privacy of those concerned. I will announce shortly the arrangements which I have put in place regarding Special Advisers' pay in Scotland.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 2 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) to list the staff of the Executive Policy Unit, and the job titles, role and payscales of each member of staff and (b) to specify the line manager, contract length and office location of each member of staff.
Answer
The staff so far appointed in the Policy Unit, with job title, line manager, contract length and office location, are as follows:
| Name | Job Title | Line Manager | Contract length |
| Brian Fitzpatrick | Head | First Minister | See Note 1 |
| Philip Rycroft | Deputy Head | Head ofExecutive Secretariat | Indefinite |
| Kenneth Hogg | Project Leader | Philip Rycroft | Indefinite |
| Joanna Young | Project Leader | Philip Rycroft | Indefinite |
| Duncan McLennan | Special Adviser | Brian Fitzpatrick | Seconded for initialperiod of 2 years |
John McLaren | Special Adviser | Brian Fitzpatrick | See Note 1 |
| Chris Winslow | Special Adviser | Brian Fitzpatrick | See Note 1 |
| Jan Anderton | Executive Assistant | Philip Rycroft | Indefinite |
Note 1: These Special Adviser appointments are held until the end of the Scottish Cabinet; or when the First Minister ceases to be a member of the Scottish Cabinet; or in the event of a General Election to the Scottish Parliament on the day after Polling Day.The Policy Unit is based in St Andrew's House. All its members will be engaged in developing the strategic capacity of the Executive and working up new policies. Those who are Special Advisers in addition give political advice to Ministers.I expect to make further Special Adviser appointments in due course. I will announce shortly the arrangements which I have put in place regarding Special Advisers' pay in Scotland.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 30 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide hospital care facilities in the Cumbernauld & Kilsyth constituency.
Answer
Acute hospital facilities are available at Monklands Hospital, Airdrie and at Stobhill Hospital and the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. There are no plans to provide further hospital facilities in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 29 June 1999
To ask the Presiding Officer what is the allocation of rooms on the fifth floor of Parliament Headquarters and specifically what is the name, function and job title of each person occupying each room
Answer
The fifth floor of Parliamentary Headquarters is shared between staff of the Parliament and the Scottish Executive. Details of staff occupying rooms in the former category are given in the table below. The detailed arrangements for occupation of the rooms in the latter category is a matter for the Scottish Executive.
ROOM | NAME | Function/Job Title |
| 5.10a | Lesley Beddie | Director of Communications |
| 5.14a | Diane Barr | Official Report/Publishing Administrator |
| 5.14a | Catherine Johnstone | Official Report/Office Manager |
| 5.14b | Stephen Hutchinson | Official Report/Deputy Editor |
| 5.14b | Henrietta Hales | Official Report/Editor |
| 5.14c | Meeting Room | |
| 5.15 | Carol McCracken | Director of clerking |
| 5.16 | Marion Falconer | PS to Carol McCracken |
| 5.16 | Yvonne Georgeson | PS to Lesley Beddie |
| 5.17,18 | Robert Arnott | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.17,18 | Bronwyn Brady | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.17,18 | Claire Hall | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.17,18 | Ellen-Raissa Jackson | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.17,18 | Simon Jessop | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.17,18 | Polly Mackenzie | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.17,18 | Mhairi Reid | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.17,18 | Mark Taplin | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.17,18 | Diarmid Mogg | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Anne Lynas | Official Report/Sub-editor |
| 5.19,20 | Will Humphreys-Jones | Official Report/Sub-editor |
| 5.19,20 | Mark Ewing | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Janet Foster | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Sue Innes | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Alison Lang | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Ian Lavery | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Murdo Macleod | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Simon McCartin | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Ian Methven | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Fiona Shaw | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.19,20 | Cameron Smith | Official Report/Reporter |
| 5.21 | Simon McLean | Official Report/Office Administrator |
| 5.21 | Gail Grant | Official Report/Office Administrator |
| 5.21 | Jacqueline Watson | Official Report/Office Administrator |
| 5.22 | Leigh Hargreaves | Parliamentary Broadcast Unit/Technical Operator |
| 5.22 | Stuart Flynn | Parliamentary Broadcast Unit/Technical Operator |
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the range and number of economic performance indicators published with reference to Scotland.
Answer
A future strategy for the development of official Scottish economic statistics was outlined in an article in The Scottish Economic Bulletin, No 56, March 1998 - The Scottish Economy: Official Statistics for the New Millennium.The official economic statistics outputs are regularly reviewed and The Scottish Office is currently engaged in an assessment of additional needs resulting from the establishment of the Scottish Parliament.
