- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 7 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive when the current system for dealing with applications for public appointments was instigated; when it is due for review, and what systems are in place to ensure that it is functioning satisfactorily.
Answer
After a competitive tenderingexercise, a one year contract was awarded on 2 February 2003with an option to extend it for a further 12 month period. This option was takenup and the contract has been extended to 1 February 2005.Action to re-tender for the period from 2 February 2005onwards will commence shortly.
A detailed Service Level Agreementis in place. The Executive receives customer feedback reports from the contractorand operates its own “mystery shopper” programme to ensure that the service is functioningsatisfactorily.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisation is responsible for the operation of its phone line for applications public appointments.
Answer
The contract was awarded to ResponseHandling Ltd after a competitive tendering exercise.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 6 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in respect of the inspection of care homes by fire services and when it expects to publish a report on the inspections.
Answer
I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-7679 on 6 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility can be foundat http:/ /www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa
The visits undertaken by theeight Scottish fire brigades are advisory visits to residential care premises ratherthan formal fire safety inspections. As such there is no intention to publish adetailed report on the outcome of the advisory visits.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 6 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a report on the outcome of inspections and investigations at the Rosepark Care Home.
Answer
Until a conclusion has been reachedon the investigation being undertaken by the Area Procurator Fiscal, it would beinappropriate for the Executive to make any comment on the investigations of theRosepark Care Home tragedy.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 5 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any guidelines to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in respect of the acceptability of digital photographs provided by a complainer as supportive evidence of allegations of pollution or on any other environmental issue and, if so, what such guidelines are.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has not issued guidance to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency about the acceptability or admissibility of digital photographs provided by a complainer as evidence inrespect of any alleged pollution incident or other environmental issue.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 29 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 5 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all works being carried out on southbound slip roads at the A80 Auchenkilns interchange relate solely to the upgrade of the interchange and why such works are not shown on the workscope plan for the project.
Answer
All the works under constructionrelate solely to the upgrade of the A80 Auchenkilns interchange and were shown inthe plans displayed at the public exhibitions.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 4 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will invite Audit Scotland to review the governance arrangements within South Lanarkshire Council in light of the unsuccessful Greenhall planning application for a crematorium in Blantyre.
Answer
It is the responsibilityof the Accounts Commission for Scotland to commissionthe audit of local government, which includes as standard a review of local governancearrangements. It is also for the Accounts Commission to decide what further investigationmight be merited in particular circumstances, whether of its own volition or onthe recommendation of the Controller of Audit. Suggestions about particular issuesof concern should be put directly to the Accounts Commission.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 4 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent by South Lanarkshire Council on the unsuccessful Greenhall planning application for a crematorium in Blantyre.
Answer
The Scottish ministers do nothold such information which is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council, as planningauthority.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 4 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set up a board to promote Scots as a living language, similar to the Ulster-Scots Agency set up under the Good Friday Agreement, which advises ministers and co-ordinates activities relating to the promotion of Ulster-Scots as a living language.
Answer
The establishment of anUlster-Scots agency was in response to a particular set of circumstances in Northern Ireland. The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to set up a similar agency inScotland. There is at present a wide range of groups and organisations in Scotland thatsupport and promote Scots in its various forms.
The Scottish Executive considers the Scots language to be an important part of Scotland'sdistinctive linguistic and cultural heritage. It appreciates that Scots is thelanguage many children bring to school and advocates the inclusion of Scots inthe school curriculum where appropriate. The Executive expects to develop aNational Language Strategy to bring a new focus to all of Scotland’slanguages, including Scots.
- Asked by: Donald Gorrie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 28 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in enabling local authorities and other relevant bodies to meet their archival commitments under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Answer
In November 2003, I publishedthe Code of Practice on Records Management in accordance with section 61of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. This provides guidance for Scottish publicauthorities on the practices which they should follow in relation to the creation,keeping, management and disposal of their records. At the same time, the Keeperof the Records of Scotland published a Model Action Plan for Developing RecordsManagement Arrangements Compliant With the Code of Practice on Records Management.The action plan provides detailed operational guidance to help authorities tocomply with the code.
