- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 15 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to create an E-Commerce Institute in Scotland since the publication of its Report on The Knowledge Economy Cross-Cutting Initiative.
Answer
The development of collaborative work to improve links between academia and industry in the field of e-commerce technologies is the responsibility of Scottish Enterprise. Its e-commerce strategy includes references to this work and can be found in
http://www.ecommerce-scotland.org. The Knowledge Economy Cross-Cutting Initiative Report mentioned that the Executive would provide £12 million to Scottish Enterprise to develop the e-institute approach to maximise the economic benefits of linking top class research and expertise at home and abroad. Scottish Enterprise announced on 7 February that £6 million of this had been allocated to developing links between University of Edinburgh and Stanford University in California.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 15 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive where the statistics and information which it and Scottish Enterprise publish which benchmark Scotland's performance in adopting e-commerce against international competitors can be found, as referred to in section 2.9 of its Report on the Knowledge Economy Cross-Cutting Initiative.
Answer
Scottish Enterprise has responsibility for commissioning research to benchmark Scotland's e-business performance and the results of the latest survey can be found on:
http://www.ecommerce-scotland.org/internationalbenchmarking/.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 15 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21287 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 16 January 2002, when the Accessing Telecoms Links Across Scotland project by Scottish Enterprise will be completed.
Answer
Scottish Enterprise launched phase 1 of the Accessing Telecoms Links Across Scotland project (ATLAS) on 4 February 2002. The project has the aim of substantially cutting high bandwidth telecoms costs for Scottish businesses. Phase 1 of Project ATLAS will be operational by the end of this year.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 15 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21265 by Mr Andy Kerr on 16 January 2002, how it plans to promote the e-Government Interoperability Framework across public bodies.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21249 on 17 January 2002. In addition to the information given there, the bidding guidance for the Modernising Government Fund (MGF) states that all MGF projects will be required to comply with the interoperability standards (including eGIF) before MGF funding is awarded.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 15 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21276 by Iain Gray on 16 January 2002, what qualities and qualifications a Digital Champion needs to possess.
Answer
The advertisement for the Digital Champion posts stated the requirements as follows:A Degree qualification in a related discipline, for example IT, preferably allied to a relevant post graduate qualification. You will have at least four years experience in a related field such as ICT project management, or training provision including the sourcing and securing of external funding or private sector sponsorship. You may also have experience of community-based education projects, including strategic experience of community learning strategies. Your high level of information technology awareness will be allied to your solid communication skills and ability to work on your own initiative. You will have a strong desire to make a difference and to serve the needs of the community in Scotland.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 15 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21264 by Mr Andy Kerr on 16 January 2002, when e-voting will become an option for Scottish voters.
Answer
It is possible that e-voting pilots will be available in 2003. However, this will depend on the final proposals being agreed with all relevant parties, including the Scottish Executive, local authorities and the Electoral Commission.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 15 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21263 by Mr Andy Kerr on 16 January 2002, what projects it is currently piloting which are using new technology in order to increase online consultation.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is increasing its use of electronic methods to engage the public in consultation. The Scottish Executive website is being redesigned to improve e-consultation opportunities, and more Scottish Executive consultations are using electronic discussion fora (for example in the current, "Blue Badge Parking Scheme" and on the "Getting Involved in Planning" exercise). In particular, e-mail software is soon to be applied to the regular distribution of consultation documents to those who subscribe to a consultation distribution list.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 15 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21284 by Iain Gray on 16 January 2002, how many local champions it now has employed.
Answer
There are eight (full-time equivalent) Digital Champions and one national manager for the Digital Champions programme employed by Scottish Enterprise on behalf of, and funded by, the Executive.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 February 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 15 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scotland will receive of the #7.6 billion investment by Her Majesty's Government on science, engineering and technology in 2003-04.
Answer
The total provisional expenditure referred to, which is shown in Table 2 of the Department of Trade and Industry's publication The Forward Look 2001, includes budget figures for a variety of programmes, some of which apply only in England; some apply only in the Devolved Administrations; some apply across the whole of the UK. Within the total planned expenditure of £5.1 billion shown in this table on UK civil science, engineering and technology, it is estimated that over £0.5 billion will be spent in Scotland by the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, the Department of Trade and Industry and the UK Research Councils. Figures are not available on how much of the £2.2 billion planned research and development expenditure by the Ministry of Defence will be spent in Scotland. The remaining £0.3 billion relates to UK contributions to EU research programmes.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 13 February 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what contractual requirements are placed on Amey Highways Ltd under the trunk road maintenance contracts to respond to requests from the police to carry out winter maintenance.
Answer
Amey is required to work closely with the police and others during the winter season to ensure that all parties are aware of actions being taken. There is no contractual requirement on them to respond to requests from the police in carrying out winter maintenance activities, which are the responsibility of the operating companies.
