- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 1 July 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the next annual progress report on the Scottish National Grid for Learning strategy.
Answer
We plan to publish the next progress report by autumn 2002.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 26 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive when there will be an increase in the level of rail services between Paisley and Glasgow.
Answer
ScotRail restored its full weekday service between Paisley and Glasgow on 2 June, following the end of industrial action by drivers. Further enhancements, above the minimum level set out in the Passenger Service Requirement of the current franchise agreement, would be a matter for the train operator and Strathclyde Passenger Transport, which specifies rail passenger services in its area.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 26 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive when the resignalling on the Forth Bridge will be completed.
Answer
The resignalling of the Forth Bridge is included within the Strategic Rail Authority's Incremental Output Statements programme for infrastructure. Although this is a matter for the Strategic Rail Authority, I understand that the expected date of completion is 2005-06.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 24 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give the same guarantees in respect of its future funding of housing following stock transfer in Dumfries and Galloway as it gave in respect of the transfer of housing stock in Glasgow.
Answer
The issue of resources for housing regeneration in Dumfries and Galloway will be considered when the council has prepared a comprehensive housing strategy in consultation with Communities Scotland and the Registered Social Landlords operating in its area.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 24 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made to the lack of budgetary provision for the acquisition of sites for new schools referred to in the bid from Dumfries and Galloway Council to it for funding for school improvements and what effect this omission will have on its consideration of the council's bid.
Answer
We shall be responding to all the bids for revenue support for school PPP projects which we have received from local authorities, including Dumfries and Galloway Council, soon.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 21 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to enhance the status of tourism as referred to in its Tourism Framework for Action 2002-05, specifically with regard to the construction industry.
Answer
VisitScotland is developing a communication strategy, "Tourism is everyone's business". One of the purposes of this work will be to raise the awareness of the importance of tourism to Scotland among other industries whose work affects or contributes to the tourism sector.In addition, Historic Scotland have developed a comprehensive integrated strategy with the building industry to promote the conservation of the built heritage. Through their grants, they also encourage repair and conservation projects with a tourism benefit.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 20 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21259 by Mr Andy Kerr on 21 January 2002, what the key modernising priorities for the public sector are.
Answer
The Executive's ultimate objective is to provide people with better services, including easy access to information. In pursuit of that, we are committed to joining up delivery across the public sector in Scotland according to citizens' needs. Our key modernising priorities are therefore those activities which support the provision of better public services and offer real benefits to citizens, such as the projects which meet the criteria for our Modernising Government Fund. The four priority areas identified for the second round of the fund are the development of a citizen account/citizen smartcard, datasharing, data standards and e-procurement as set out in the bidding guidance, issued on 19 December 2001 and available at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/c21g/round2_bid.pdf.We are considering supporting a number of projects in other areas, but which we believe will also support the provision of better public services.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 20 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria define accessibility to "global connections" as referred to in the Digital Scotland Task Force Report.
Answer
The reference to the importance of "global connections" to Scotland's overall economic performance stems from the Scottish Executive's statement of ambitions for the Enterprise Networks, A Smart, Successful Scotland. Digital connectivity is an important element within this.The Executive's report, Measuring Scotland's progress towards a Smart, Successful Scotland identified the criteria used to assess progress in Scotland's digital connectivity as cost and geographic coverage of broadband.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 20 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22628 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 February 2002, when it, local authorities, the Electoral Commission and any other relevant parties will agree on the final proposals for e-voting.
Answer
We have received no formal proposals to date from councils to run an e-voting pilot at a local government election.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 19 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive when web-based visitor information on the sustainable use of natural heritage sites will be made available.
Answer
This action under the Tourism Framework for Action is the responsibility of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). I understand that SNH have completed the first phase of a study of sustainable management of natural heritage sites around the world, and are now piloting the results at 10 sites in Scotland, in conjunction with a range of other organisations.
