- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have applied for pressurised area status as it applies to social housing.
Answer
One local authority has applied for designation of housing areas as pressured under section 45 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of any performance bonus scheme operated by Scottish Enterprise in respect of employees in Careers Scotland.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what bonus payments were made to Careers Scotland management and staff in each of the last three years broken down by grade.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a national pay structure for all management and staff employed by Careers Scotland.
Answer
No. Careers Scotland staff are employed by either Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Pay is determined by the structure established by each organisation.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have written to it to express concern regarding the impact that the right to buy scheme has on the availability of affordable social housing.
Answer
During the Affordable Housing review, two local authorities wrote to the Executive and made reference to right to buy amongst other issues raised. A third Authority, South Ayrshire, has applied for pressured area status under section 45 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that the planning system complies with the directive implementing the provisions of the Aarhus Convention once this comes into force.
Answer
The Executive is currently updating regulations concerning access to environmental information. We are also considering what changes may be required in respect of public participation, including to the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 1999.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 9 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it, the Scottish Arts Council or the British Council provide for Scottish artists or performing groups exhibiting or performing abroad.
Answer
Working in partnership is vital in promoting Scotland abroad. In the last few years the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Arts Council and the British Council Scotland have collaborated on a number of high-profile promotions of Scotland’s art, artists and designer/makers, including a major programme of contemporary Scottish culture at the Smithsonian Institution’s 2003 Folklife Festival in Washington DC and Scotland’s first independent presentation at the 2003 Venice Biennale. The British Council Scotland and Scottish Arts Council have contributed to the Executive’s programme of international promotions, including “Scotland in Sweden” in 2002 and played a full part in this year’s successful Entente Cordiale 100th anniversary celebrations in France.
In 2003 the Scottish Arts Council funded 247 international projects totalling over £977,000. Projects ranged from major showcases to support for individual artists to allow them to work, exhibit or collaborate with artists abroad. Scottish Arts Council core funding has enabled organisations across Scotland to produce works of world-class standard, which has led to many Scottish companies, such as Dundee Rep theatre company and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, to be invited to perform abroad.
Following these successful collaborations the Scottish Arts Council and British Council Scotland have recently joined forces to create the post of Head of International Arts. The post is jointly funded and managed by both organisations and will be responsible for developing a strategy for promoting Scotland’s arts abroad.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 9 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to set a pay structure for visual and applied artists which would provide a minimum hourly rate for work carried out under contract to a public authority.
Answer
Responsibility for employment matters, including rates of pay, is reserved to the UK Government. Notwithstanding this, Executive guidance relating to cultural provision has been given to local authorities advocating compliance with existing National Wage Agreements. In addition, the Scottish Arts Council grants application process ensures, wherever possible, similar compliance with agreed national rates and pay guidelines for visual artists.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 9 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in establishing an environmental court or an environmental appeals tribunal.
Answer
Detailed consideration of these matters is on-going but you should be aware that strong action is already taken against those who commit environmental crime. In February 2004 the Lord Advocate announced the establishment of a national network of 17 specialist environmental prosecutors COPFS Press Release NRCO191HH Special Prosecutors for Crimes against Environment 09-02-2004. This will ensure that prosecutors with expertise in environmental law are availablethroughout the country and will enhance the robust approach to its enforcement.SEPA is also considering methods by which courts can be made more aware of the impact and severity of environmental crimes.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 8 November 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the archive of Richard Demarco is retained complete in Scotland and is available for public inspection.
Answer
It is open to the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS), which already own a significant part of the archive, to consider purchasing the remainder if that were necessary to ensure its retention. Work continues to be done on cataloguing both that part of the archive owned by NGS and on the photographic part of the archive which remains the property of Professor Demarco.
