- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 31 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive where in the environment and rural development level 3 budget the savings of #21.3 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.
Answer
The detail of the proposed savings is shown in the following table.
| Programme Level 2/3 | 2001-02 Budget Plans | 2002-03 Changes (Revised Plans) | 2003-04 Changes (Revised Plans) |
| | £ million | £ million | £ million |
| Rural Development |
a. Rural Partnership Fund | 4.173 | -0.100 (4.073) | -0.200 (3.973) |
b. Crofting Grants | 4.762 | -0.600 (4.562) | -0.600 (4.562) |
c. Farm Waste Grants | 0.660 | -0.200 (1.800) | -0.200 (1.800) |
Agricultural and Biological Science etc. | | | |
a. Pensions | 13.389 | -0.100 (14.638) | -0.500 (14.622) |
b. SABRIs Capital. | 6.312 | -1.000 (5.312) | -1.000 (5.312) |
| Fisheries |
a. Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency Capital | 0.305 | -3.400 (0.305) | -3.400 (0.305) |
| Water |
a. | 433.3 | Nil (459.0) | -10.000 ( 479.7) |
Total Savings: | Nil | -5.400 | -15.900 |
The revised plans for the range of Rural Development grant schemes and for Pensions shown in the table reflect estimating changes in the light of outturn in previous years.
While the revised plans for SABRIs capital will require the bodies to be more efficient in their use of capital resources, planned provision in 2002-03 and 2003-04 remains over £2 million a year higher than in 2000-01. Also, plans to increase current support for the SABRIs by £2 million and £3 million in 2002-03 and 2003-04 respectively are unchanged.
Some £3.4 million a year was added to the capital Budget of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency for 2002-03 and 2003-04 in the 2000 Spending Review, to provide for the replacement of a Fishery Protection Vessel. While this provision has been removed from the baseline, I would expect to be able to fund construction of the new vessel from carry forward of end year flexibility entitlements.The merger of the three existing water authorities will help secure a wide range of efficiency savings in our water industry. At the same time the Water Industry Commissioner will be setting demanding operating and capital efficiency targets for the new authority ensuring the public receives a first class service. We are confident that the small saving identified will not prevent the necessary investment of £2.2 billion (as identified in the Water Quality and Standards: 2002 to 2006: Consultation Paper) from being delivered over the period.
Detailed spending plans for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be subject, in due course, to the usual consultation and parliamentary approval procedures.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 31 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive where in the 21st Century Government level 3 budget the savings of #15 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.
Answer
This money was unallocated. The savings will have no effect on other programmes. Ministers may still choose to fund future initiatives on 21st Century Government from other sources, such as Capital Modernisation Fund consequentials.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 31 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive where in the health level 3 budget the savings of #55 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.
Answer
The resources realigned from within the health budget to support the implementation of free personal care will come from revenue and capital resources not yet allocated to NHS Scotland. The planned allocations to NHS Scotland which have already been announced will be unaffected.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 31 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive where in the transport level 3 budget the savings of #30 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.
Answer
The adjustments to help fund wider Executive priorities are set out in the following table. The SPT adjustment will bring provision in line with payments due under the franchise and is not expected to affect operations and services. The other adjustments will be among the factors that will affect when individual projects are delivered.
| Programme | 2002-03 | 2003-04 |
£ million | £ million |
| Motorways and Trunk Roads | 5 | 10 |
| Strathclyde Passenger Transport | 5 | 5 |
| Integrated Transport Fund | Nil | 5 |
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 31 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive where in the local government level 3 budget the savings of #7 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.
Answer
The £7 million reduction represents the release of provision to cover non-domestic rating appeals which is no longer needed. This release of provision will have no effect on programmes funded by this budget.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 31 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive where in the social justice level 3 budget the savings of #35 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.
Answer
The key changes relate to the housing programmes. I have provided details on what we expect to spend on social sustice commitments, in both cash and real terms, in answer to question S1W-16746. Level III information will be published once we receive final agreement to end year flexibility. These changes will still allow us to meet all our existing commitments and targets and also address additional housing budget pressures.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive where in the education level 3 budget the savings of #47 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.
Answer
The savings of £47 million come from the following level 3 lines within Education and Children.
Level 3 | 2002-03 (£ million) | 2003-04 (£ million) |
Schools: Curriculum development, IT, international services and administration | 18 | 22 |
Specific Grants: Excellence Fund | - | 7 |
The schools funding had been earmarked for investment in broadband infrastructure. This will now be funded from Capital Modernisation Fund consequentials. The Excellence Fund money was unallocated. There will be no effect on either programme.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 17 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive where in the enterprise and lifelong learning level 3 budget the savings of #47 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.
Answer
The savings of £47 million in the enterprise and lifelong learning budget take place over three years from 2001-02 to 2003-04 as shown in the table.
| Level 3 | 2001-02 (£ million) | 2002-03 (£ million) | 2003-04 (£ million) |
| Regional Selective Assistance | - | 7 | 10 |
| Student Awards Agency for Scotland - Loan subsidy to students | 10 | 10 | 10 |
The savings from Regional Selective Assistance are due to delay in implementing a number of projects to which assistance has been offered. Forecast expenditure has been adjusted accordingly.The savings from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland are the result of a change in the accounting treatment of student loans. This will have no effect on the aggregate sum of money available for lending to students.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 22 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government requesting that the use of Thimerosal as a preservative in vaccines be reviewed in the light of any possible adverse health effects of such use.
Answer
The regulation and control of medicines is a reserved matter. Information on which vaccines used in Scotland over the last 10 years contained the preservative Thiomersal is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 May 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 5 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of the amount each local authority will be allocated to fund the McCrone proposals on teachers' pay in financial years 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15551.
