- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to (a) ministers and (b) Scottish Water requesting the removal of fences around Milngavie reservoir erected following a direction by the Home Secretary in 2003 under the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (Direction in the Interests of National Security) Order 2002.
Answer
We are not aware of any such requests that have been made to Scottish ministers. We understand that you made representations to Scottish Water about the removal of the fences in October 2006, September 2008 and December 2009. East Dunbartonshire Council raised the issue in 2008 and 2009 at its twice yearly Katrine Water project liaison meetings with Scottish Water and the council''s chief executive wrote to Scottish Water in January 2010 on the subject.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of its commitment to publishing details of engagements carried out by all ministers on a monthly basis six months in arrears, for what reason information on its website lists only engagements up until 13 March 2009 and when it expects to update these records and make them public.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to the proactive release of information. However, the collation and co-ordination of the engagement information is taking longer than anticipated and it is hoped that this information will be released in the near future.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the commissioning of the new Milngavie water treatment works has rendered unnecessary a number of security measures put in place following a direction by the Home Secretary in 2003 under the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (Direction in the Interests of National Security) Order 2002.
Answer
Scottish Water has agreed with the government security adviser what changes can take place to the security measures following the commissioning of the new works.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review in conjunction with Home Office ministers the continuing need for security fences at Milngavie reservoir on national security grounds.
Answer
A review of the existing security measures has already taken place and Scottish Water has agreed in principal with the Government security adviser on what changes can be made. My officials have asked Scottish Water to estimate the cost of these changes and to consider the funding options available to them. Once we know the cost and the funding has been agreed, we will consult the Home Office about Directing Scottish Water to carry out the work.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (Direction in the Interests of National Security) Order 2002 provides ministers with express powers to revoke a direction made using that legislation and, if not, what other legal powers could be used to remove unnecessary security measures.
Answer
There is no express provision to the contrary, so the power under this Order to make a direction to revoke an existing direction is implicit. However, the power to give a direction under this 2002 Order is exercisable by Scottish ministers concurrently with the Secretary of State and only after consultation with the Secretary of State.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether provision could be made by (a) ministers or (b) a variation in the determination of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland to cover any costs that might be incurred by Scottish Water in the removal of security measures at Milngavie reservoir should such measures prove unnecessary.
Answer
If security measures prove to be unnecessary, there are a number of options available to Scottish Water to fund their removal depending on the level of expenditure likely to be incurred. The Water Industry Commission for Scotland could consider making funds available if a case can be made that the works are of a high priority.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it has not responded to Scottish Water’s application of April 2009 for authority to remove many of the security measures put in place at Milngavie reservoir on national security grounds.
Answer
My officials have responded to a confidential memo that Scottish Water sent to them in April 2009 asking for clarification on the steps required to be taken to carry out changes to the security measures at Milngavie. We are not aware of any other application.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15005 by Fergus Ewing on 3 September 2008, whether it will publish a breakdown of the uses to which £10,152 and £5,600 awarded to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation for set-up costs and training costs respectively were put and what individuals or organisations were paid to provide the services procured.
Answer
A breakdown of the uses for which the £10,152 and £5,600 grants were given has already been published and can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/18934/SIFapplicationofficecosts.
The grant offer letter detailing conditions of grant for the set-up and training cost funding is already in the public domain and can be found at:
http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com/onescotland/files/FOI%20-%2000825.pdf.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to a report in The Sunday Herald on 24 January 2010 about money awarded to the Scottish-Islamic Foundation, how many staff were paid out of the £41,216 spent on salaries; what period their employment covered; what the annual salaries of the individuals concerned were, and what proportion of their salaries was paid from the Scottish Government grant.
Answer
The figure of £41,216 for the 2008-09 financial year was from the Scottish Government grant awarded for IslamFest. This represents the project manager salary of £33,923; an administrator''s salary of £5,813, and national Insurance contributions of £1,480. Project management of the IslamFest initiative is part the chief executive''s role.
I also refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-15067 on 3 September 2008 and S3W-31179 on 26 February 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 26 February 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what other organisations or individuals, aside from the Scottish-Islamic Foundation, it has had discussions, communications or contact with regarding a proposal for an Islamic Expo and whether it will list the persons and organisations with whom it has met or communicated on this subject and the relevant dates.
Answer
The proposals for IslamFest were discussed with the Scottish Islamic Foundation and organisers of the IslamExpo events. I refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-15009 on 3 September 2008; S3W-18948 on 19 December 2008, and S3W-31179 on 26 February 2010.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
