- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will improve safety at the three A90 junctions at Laurencekirk.
Answer
A package of measures was recently implemented at the Marykirk section of the Laurencekirk/Marykirk junction. These improvements included the extension of a deceleration lane, anti-skid surfacing and enhancements of the signing and road markings. A CCTV camera is to be erected to observe traffic movements at both sections of the Laurencekirk/Marykirk junction. Road safety will continue to be monitored at these locations to identify whether any additional safety measures are required.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 2 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the oil and gas industry about the number of job losses in the offshore contracting sector.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the oil and gas industry about a wide range of matters. We work with the sector as a whole through PILOT, the government and industry task force of which I am vice-chair, to ensure the long-term sustainability of the industry.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by George Reid on 22 May 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer what commissions for art or photographic work to be displayed in the new Parliament building have been, or are in the process of being, awarded.
Answer
A dedicated Art Steering Group was established in the first session of Parliament by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) to consider commissions, purchases and loans of art works for the new building. A progress report on the group's decisions is due to be made to the new SPCB, following which any announcement will be made.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by George Reid on 22 May 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer what arrangements have been made with Scottish museums and galleries for the display of artefacts and paintings in their care in the new Parliament building.
Answer
A dedicated Art Steering Group was established in the first session of Parliament by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) to consider commissions, purchases and loans of art works for the new building. A progress report on the group's decisions is due to be made to the new SPCB, following which any announcement will be made.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by George Reid on 22 May 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer when the Holyrood Progress Group will terminate its activities.
Answer
The Holyrood Progress Group was established by a resolution of the Parliament with a remit to oversee completion of construction of the new building. It is therefore expected that the Holyrood Progress Group will continue to provide advice to the Clerk and the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body in the management of the project until it is complete.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by George Reid on 22 May 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer when the new Parliament building at Holyrood will be open for use.
Answer
Following completion of construction, scheduled for November 2003, and before the building can be occupied, testing and commissioning of all the building's essential systems will require to be completed. Thereafter it will be a matter for the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to decide when the building should open, bearing in mind the need to minimise the cost and disruption involved in the migration of staff, services, furniture, and equipment.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by George Reid on 22 May 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer when the Holyrood Progress Group will next report to the Finance Committee on the progress and costs of the new Parliament building.
Answer
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is required, on a quarterly basis, to provide information to the Parliament's Finance Committee on the progress of the project in respect of inflation and materialisation of risk in order to inform the committee's consideration of the annual Budget Bill. Once a new Finance Committee has been established, a report on progress and cost of the project will be made to the members of that committee. I would anticipate that reports will thereafter be made on a quarterly basis, in line with previous practice.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by George Reid on 22 May 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will publish details of progress in letting service contracts for the new Parliament building.
Answer
In the region of 30 non-construction-related service contracts have been, or are in the process of being let for the new Parliament building. Each is at a different stage in the procurement process, but all contracts required for the running of the building are scheduled to be let prior to the end of December 2003.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 5 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the specifications in the trunk road maintenance contract with BEAR Scotland in the north east were adequate to anticipate the current weather conditions and whether the contract will be re-specified.
Answer
The specifications in the contract are closely monitored by the independent Performance Audit Group. To date there is no evidence to suggest that the current winter specifications are inadequate.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is available to NHS boards to attract foreign dental practitioners to any dental vacancies and whether such support includes subsistence payments for such practitioners awaiting formal registration with the General Dental Council.
Answer
NHS boards are able to use their normal financial allocations to advertise for and attract dentists to their region, including from overseas. As dentists working in the UK must be registered by the General Dental Council, it would not be appropriate to provide subsistence payments pending registration.
