- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 7 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what process is being used to determine the location of the headquarters for the Scottish University for Industry.
Answer
We will decide on a location for the Scottish University for Industry headquarters following a detailed option appraisal in the light of the business case. The option appraisal is being conducted by the Scottish Executive in collaboration with the Scottish UfI Development Team.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 3 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it intends to give to the "Scottish Dig" at Saqqara in Egypt, given Scotland's rich tradition in Egyptology.
Answer
The National Museums of Scotland (NMS) have a field team working at Saqqara and have been funding this project to the level of approximately £5,000 per annum since 1994-95. The NMS hope to continue funding for a further five years.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 2 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive whether it is considering extending the system of rates relief which currently applies to rural shops and sub-post offices to pubs and small hotels.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 1 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place for liaison between the Digital Scotland Taskforce and the Knowledge Economy Taskforce.
Answer
Liaison between the two taskforces is maintained partly through common membership. I am a member of the Ministerial committee on Digital Scotland and am chairing the Developing the Knowledge Economy Taskforce. Mr Hugh Aitken of Sun Microsystems is also a member of both taskforces. Liaison is also promoted through officials in the Education Department and the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department who are acting as secretariat to the respective taskforces and are in regular contact with each other.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 1 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the most recent assessment it has made as to whether the A709 and A701 are suitable as strategic road links between Dumfries and the M74.
Answer
Neither the Scottish Office nor the Scottish Executive have undertaken further strategic assessment studies of the A709 or A701 since the A74(M) Dumfries Link Study.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 1 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an overlap between the respective remits of the Knowledge Economy Taskforce and the Digital Scotland Taskforce and how that overlap is to be managed.
Answer
Both the Knowledge Economy Taskforce and the Digital Scotland Taskforce are cross-cutting initiatives and there are clearly linkages between the work of both groups, although the Knowledge Economy Taskforce has a discrete interest in areas such as business innovation and human skills. The main area of common interest is in e-commerce and this is being managed by close liaison between both taskforces. The members of each group are being made aware of the work of the other.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 31 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-901 on 13 January 2000 by Sarah Boyack, whether it will publish the study which the Scottish Office conducted into the need for a strategic link road between Dumfries and the M74.
Answer
I have arranged for a copy of the Executive Summary Report (Ironside Farrar, Halcrow Fox, Halcrow Scotland - A74(M) Dumfries Link Study Executive Summary) to be lodged in SPICe.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 27 January 2000
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive will take a leadership role in devising a strategy for Scotland to take advantage, socially and economically, of the opportunities offered by new and emerging information and communications technologies.
Answer
We are doing so. The Executive’s Digital Scotland initiative was debated here on 18 November last year. I believe there is general support for the initiative. It draws together a great deal of important work across the Executive and elsewhere in the public and private sectors in Scotland. We made clear in the debate that our aim is to ensure that Scotland exploits the full potential of the world-wide digital communications revolution and does so within timescales that give and retain real competitive advantage. That remains the case.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 24 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned any study into the comparative costs of travel by Ministers and officials to meetings and use of video conferencing facilities.
Answer
No such study has been commissioned. However, the Scottish Executive recognises that video conferencing is a very cost-effective means of conducting meetings in certain circumstances. We are continuing to develop and extend the use of video conferencing where this has the potential to save time or money.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 24 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any guidelines on the use of video conferencing facilities have been issued to Ministers and their officials and, if so, what these guidelines are.
Answer
The Scottish Executive's good practice guidance on meetings, available to all Ministers and officials of the Scottish Executive, advises anyone arranging a meeting to consider the options available, including video conferencing. Operational guidance on the use of the video conferencing facilities is provided at each facility in the Scottish Executive.