Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-07526

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 11 May 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to inform business and service providers of penalties they can face as a result of failing to meet obligations under the Disability discrimination Act 1995.

Question reference: S2W-07688

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 11 May 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many invitations it received from organisations and legislatures in the United States of America inviting ministers, parliamentarians and officials to attend Tartan Day events this year and how many such invitations were accepted.

The Executive's Scottish AffairsOffice in Washington acted as the point of contact for invitations to TartanDay events for ministers and officials from the Executive. Where appropriate theyalso did so for representatives of the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh and GlasgowCity Councils and other visitors from Scotland.

Scottish Executive ministers and officials received invitations and attendedthe following Tartan Day events:

New York Caledonian Club lecture(officials only)

Kirkin' of the Tartan ChurchService (officials only)

Tartan Day parade (officialsonly)

VisitScotland Business Tourismlunch

Dressed to Kilt Reception

Icons of Scotland AwardsDinner

Scottish Development InternationalFinancial Services Event

Matt McGinn Tribute Concert

National Tartan Day Committeeand Friends of Scotland Reception, Washington, DC

UK Ambassador's Reception at British Embassy

The First Minister also acceptedan invitation from the Provost of Columbia University to give a keynote addresson "The New Scotland; Attracting Fresh Talent".

In addition, ministers took theopportunity to undertake a range of meetings and engagements in line with the Executiveskey policy areas including Fresh Talent, business, tourism and urban regeneration.Further details of these can be found in the answer to S2W-7676 on 26 April 2004.

All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

Question reference: S2W-07747

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by George Reid on 6 May 2004

To ask the Presiding Officer how many invitations it received from organisations and legislatures in the United States of America inviting ministers, parliamentarians and officials to attend Tartan Day events this year and how many such invitations were accepted.

The parliamentary delegation(including officials) received and accepted invitations to attend the followingTartan Day events:

Kirkin’ of the Tartanschurch service

Tartan Day parade

VisitScotland BusinessTourism Media Lunch

Dressed to Kilt reception

Icons of Scotlandawards dinner

Due to other commitments, thedelegation was unable to accept invitations to:

Matt McGinn tribute concert

The First Minister’s addressat Columbia University

National Tartan DayCommittee and Friends of Scotland Reception

I also accepted aninvitation to deliver a Palm Sunday reading at Brick Presbyterian Church in New York,and attended the UK Ambassador’s Tartan Day reception in Washington DC.

The Parliament participatedin an event in Central Park with other Scottish partners which showcased thebest of Scotland; and co-hosted a Tartan Day reception in New York withthe Scottish Executive.

The delegation also undertooka number of other visits and meetings whilst in the United States,including the United Nations, the Carnegie Foundation, New York PoliceDepartment and City Hall, New York.

The Parliamentary Bureauagreed that we should develop links with Canadian legislatures on this occasion,and in this regard, the delegation visited the National Assembly of Quebec.

Question reference: S2W-07289

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 6 May 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, if there is not 100% broadband coverage across Scotland by the end of 2005, what new steps it will take to restore Scotland's competitive advantage over Northern Ireland.

Question reference: S2W-07457

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 6 May 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of public money was invested in the Scotland the Brand project from 1995 to 2003.

Question reference: S2W-07459

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 6 May 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total sum spent on consultants by it and its enterprise agencies was in respect of the Scotland the Brand project from 1995 to 2003.

Question reference: S2W-07458

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 April 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 6 May 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the asset value of the Scotland the Brand trademark was when it was privatised.

Question reference: S2W-07378

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 30 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-Scottish Executive members of the Financial Services Strategy Group have attended subsequent meetings of the group since its inaugural meeting in Glasgow on 24 November 2003.

The Financial Services StrategyGroup (FSSG) held its first meeting in Edinburgh on 24 November. Eighteen of the 19 non-Scottish Executive members were present. A steering group has been formed on behalf of thefull FSSG to oversee the work of a number of sub-groups. Six non-Scottish Executive FSSG members have to date participated in these steering group meetings.The next full meeting of the Financial Services Strategy Group is scheduled for25 May 2004.

Question reference: S2W-07377

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings of the Financial Services Strategy Group have been held since its inaugural meeting in Glasgow on 24 November 2003.

Question reference: S2W-07288

Asked by: Jim Mather, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 27 April 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure 100% broadband coverage across Scotland, in the light of the decision to award BT a contract to achieve that level of coverage in Northern Ireland by the end of 2005.