- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what new steps it will take to help create new major companies in Scotland, in light of the Royal Bank of Scotland's report, Wealth Creation in Scotland - A Study of Scotland's Top 100 Companies
Answer
Growing businesses is a key theme in A Smart, Successful Scotland (SSS). Information such as that in the Royal Bank of Scotland report helps inform our understanding of how the challenges facing the Scottish economy have evolved since SSS was first published and will, along with information from other sources, inform the priorities in the refreshed SSS. The Enterprise Networkswill continue to play a major role in assisting businesses with growth potentialand detail of their activity is set out in corporate plans.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 30 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what new steps will be taken to reverse population decline in light of the recent population forecast by the Office of National Statistics
Answer
Population levels are the result of birth rates, death rates and patterns of migration. Birth rates reflect decisions which are for individuals rather than government. Where people do decide to have children the Scottish Executive is providing support through the increased resources being made available for childcare and school education, while the UK Government also has a range of measures to help families with children through the tax and benefit system. As a result of better healthcare, many more people now survive into adulthood and later life. Managed migration can play an important role in ensuring that we have a relatively stable and diverse population, with a balanced age structure. Theinitiative on Fresh Talent promotes such migration. Steps underway to implementthis initiative include the establishment of a Relocation Advisory Service tohelp individuals interested in moving to Scotland to live, work and study, aswell as potential employers of such people; the commitment from the Home Officeto allow those graduating from Scottish institutions from summer 2005 onwardsto remain for a further two years with the ability to seek employment without awork permit; work to establish scholarships and work placements for overseasstudents; and efforts to make the work permit system more readilyunderstandable by employers.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 19 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how much, and what value of, its procurement is channelled through the Office of Government Commerce.
Answer
Procurement of all goods andservices by the Executive is handled through a direct relationship with the contractorconcerned. However, where appropriate, the Executive may take advantage of frameworkarrangements that have been put in place by other public sector bodies (includingthe commercial arm of Office of Government Commerce (OGC), OGCbuying.solutions)to procure goods and services directly from a contractor. Using such framework arrangementsoffer a number of advantages.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of each sector of the Scottish economy that is used to calculate Scottish GDP is represented by companies whose corporate headquarters are based in Scotland.
Answer
Scottish GDP is based on all companies with employment in Scotland, irrespective of where their corporate headquarters are located. It is not possible to identify the percentage of GDP created by companies which have their headquarters located in Scotland.
Alternative data on the ownership of companies operating in Scotland are available on the Scottish Executive Business Statistics website via the following link:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ETLLD/EI/00018389/page1123668026.aspx.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 July 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects Caledonian MacBrayne to prepare and distribute a detailed analysis, for consultation with interested parties, of the costs and revenues applicable to Option B for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service, as specified in the report by Deloitte and Touche in 2000.
Answer
The Deloitte Touche Report did not take into account the requirement to bring ferry subsidy arrangements into line with European Union rules. Accordingly, the study has, to an extent, been overtaken by our discussions with the European Commission on how this might be done in the case of the Gourock to Dunoon route. Our March 2003 proposals to tender the route separately and to allow bidders to bid on the basis of either a passenger only or a passenger and vehicle service would demonstrate which of these options would require the lower subsidy. I am considering the responses to last year's consultation on these proposals.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 July 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if it could be proved as a result of an updated analysis of costs and revenues that an unsubsidised vehicle-carrying ferry service between Gourock and Dunoon would be viable, it would invite expressions of interest from operators who might be interested in providing such an unsubsidised service.
Answer
I am aware of the local community’s concerns about the proposals for tendering the ferry services on the Gourock to Dunoon route. I am considering the responses to last year’s consultation on the revised proposals.
If I conclude that tendering of the route is required in line with the proposals published in March 2003, then bidders will have the choice of whether to provide a passenger only or a combined passenger and vehicle service. The tender would be awarded on the basis of lowest cost bid. This process will show whether an unsubsidised vehicle service is viable in a way that desk based research cannot.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 30 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to review recently published GDP data and its implementation of the new chain-linking methodology for calculating Scottish GDP in light of the statement by Nicholas Crafts of the London School of Economics, reported in the Sunday Herald on 14 March 2004, that "if mortality risks in Scotland were overnight to fall to English levels, the consumption equivalent of the welfare gain would be #2912 per person, or 21.3% of the 2001 GDP".The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba dh na ceumannan a bhios e a' gabhail gus ath-sgrydadh a dhhanamh air an d`ta GDP yr-fhoillsichte agus air an drigh anns a bheil e a' cur an gnlomh an drigh cheangail-slabhraidh yr gus GDP na h-Alba obrachadh a-mach, mar thoireadh air an aithris aig Nicholas Crafts ` Sgoil Eaconamachd Lunnainn, air an deach iomradh a thoirt anns an Sunday Herald 14 M`rt 2004, “nan tuiteadh cunnartan b`smhorachd ann an Alba gu grad gu lrean Sasannach, bhiodh an t-samhail-chaitheimh de bhuannachd nan sochairean ionnan ri #2,912 airson gach neach, no 21.3% den GDP ann an 2001".
Answer
Annual estimates of the cashvalue of GDP for Scotland and other regions of the UK areproduced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as part of RegionalAccounts. It is these estimates which would be directly affected by anyconsumption changes. These are based on a different methodology from that usedin the UK and Scottish quarterly GDP indices. Chainlinking methodology is onlyapplicable to estimating volume growth, and as Regional Accounts are producedin current price values, the methodology is not relevant.
Thereare no plans to review the methodology for the quarterly Scottish GDP index.
The Executive has provided the following translation:
Thameasaidhean bliadhnail air luach airgead GDP airson Alba agus roinnean eile denRA air an dèanamh le Oifis nan Staitistig Nàiseanta (ONS) mar phàirt de naCunntasan Roinneil. 'S ann air na measaidhean sin a bhiodh buaidh dhìreach aigatharrachaidhean ann an caitheamh. Tha iad sin bonntaichte air dòigh-obracheadar-dhealaichte bhon dòigh a tha air a chleachdadh ann an ìre GDP ràitheil naRA agus Alba. Chan eil dòigh cheangal-slabhraidh a' buntainn ach ri measadhair fàs tomaid a-mhàin, agus le Cunntasan Roinneil air an dèanamh ann anluachan prìse làithreach, chan eil an dòigh-obrach buntainneach.
Chan eil planaichean sambith ann airson ath-sgrùdadh air an dòigh-obrach airson ìre GDP ràitheil nah-Alba.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 29 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer prior to his announcement of various measures on housing in the recent budget.
Answer
Executive ministers and officials have regular discussions on a wide range of issues with colleagues in the UK government. The specific content of these discussions is confidential.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 16 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8170 by Mr Andy Kerr on 1 June 2004, whether it will list all invitations received by it to Tartan Day events, showing which events were not accepted and on what grounds.
Answer
Details of all Tartan Day events that the Executive accepted invitations to are contained within the answer to question S2W-7688 answered 11 May 2004. Details of invitations declined and reasons for doing so were given in the answer to question S2W-8170 answered 1 June 2004. All answer to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 8 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the opinion of Professor Mark Poustie, Professor of Law at Strathclyde University, that there is now doubt regarding the legality of the continued collection of tolls at the Skye Bridge by the concessionaire in light of the information from the Minister for Transport last year that #27 million had been collected and that subsequent toll collection could now have fulfilled the terms of the tolling licence by collecting #23.64 million at 1990 prices.The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:A dh' fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba, dh an fhreagairt a tha aige do bheachd an @rd-ollaimh Mark Poustie, @rd-ollamh Lagha ann an Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh, gu bheil ml-chinnt a-nis ann air laghalachd nan clsean a tha an Neach-togail-chlsean fhathast a' cruinneachadh air Drochaid an Eilean Sgitheanaich, `s dhidh do Mhinistear na Crmhdhail ainmeachadh an-uiridh gun deach #27 millean a chruinneachadh, agus gum b' urrainn do na clsean a chaidh a thogail bhon uairsin a bhith air cumhachan a' chunnraidh airson nan clsean a choilionadh `s dhidh dhaibh airgead a chruinneachadh a tha luach #23.64 millean aig prlsean 1990.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-8105 on 25 May 2004. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament'swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa. The Scottish Executive has provided the following translation:
Tha mi airson aire a' bhuilla thoirt chun fhreagairt a chaidh a thoirt do cheist S2W-08105, 25/4/2004. Thafreagairtean nan CP sgrìobhte rim faotainn air làrach-lìn na Pàrlamaid, aguslorgar an goireas-rannsachaidh aig http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
