- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the shortest possible timescale is within which a quality contract scheme for bus operation could be implemented in Edinburgh following a request for such a scheme from the local authority.
Answer
The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 provides for a Quality Contract to come into operation not earlier than six months from the date the contract was let, or an earlier date if that is specified in the proposed Quality Contract scheme. A proposed Quality Contract requires the approval of Scottish ministers before it can be implemented, and I would consider any such application timeously. The overall timescale for progressing a Quality Contract proposal, assuming that ministerial approval is forthcoming, is a matter within the control of the local authority concerned.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how local loop unbundling will benefit the economy.
Answer
Local loop unbundling (LLU) can benefit the economy by being one of the delivery mechanisms for broadband access. LLU allows operators to offer "always on" higher speed services such as ADSL directly to business and residential customers in competition with BT's services. It also allows operators to offer wholesale ADSL access to service providers in competition with BT's wholesale products. Competition helps to reduce prices and increase choice for broadband access, the availability of which is seen as key to the development of the "e-economy". Oversight of local loop unbundling is an aspect of telecommunications regulation and is a reserved matter.
LLU is only one of a number of delivery mechanisms for broadband. Cable modems, satellite, fixed wireless and 3G mobile can all offer broadband services with some having a wider geographic reach than current DSL technology. Services using some of these delivery mechanisms are now available while others are due to be rolled out in the near future.
The Executive's broadband strategy, Connecting Scotland: our broadband future aims to stimulate providers to offer a wider range of higher bandwidth services to business and individuals.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 26 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources will be made available to Lothian and Borders Police in respect of increased visits to the Parliament and Edinburgh by high profile or VIP visitors and tourists.
Answer
£117,436 is being made available to Lothian and Borders Police this year for their Parliamentary Police Unit to supplement funding provided by the Parliament. The additional funding will enable Lothian and Borders to maintain an enhanced police presence in or around the area of the Parliament during periods in which the Parliament itself is in recess.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 26 September 2001
To ask the Presiding Officer what high profile or VIP visits to the Parliament are planned between now and 31 December 2001.
Answer
The high-profile or VIP official visits to the Parliament of which my office is currently aware expected between now and 31 December 2001 are set out below. In addition, we expect that committees, individual MSPs or cross-party groups will receive distinguished visitors, such as ambassadors or members of other parliaments, from time to time.
Day | Date | Visit |
Thurs | 27.09.01 | Visit by Rt Hon Dr Roberto Formigoni, President of the Northern Region of Lombardy |
Thurs | 27.09.01 | Scottish Peers Association |
Thurs | 27.09.01 | Chairs of the Gender Committees of the 3 Bosnian Parliaments |
Thurs to Sat | 27.09.01 to 29.09.01 | Conference of Women Parliamentarians (parliamentarians from Scotland, Westminster, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales) |
Wed | 03.10.01 | Delegation of politicians and officials from Vastra Gotaland |
Mon | 08.10.01 | Visit by a delegation from Indonesia |
Thurs | 25.10.01 | Visit by Ms Birgitta Dahl, Speaker of the Swedish Parliament |
Thurs | 25.10.01 | Visit by HE Michael L'Estrange, High Commissioner of Australia |
Tues and Wed | 06.11.01 to 07.11.01 | Visit by the Committee on Petitions, The European Parliament |
Thurs | 08.11.01 | Visit by Haldor Blandal, Speaker of the Icelandic Parliament |
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 26 September 2001
To ask the Presiding Officer what high profile or VIP visits to, or events in, the Parliament are planned as a result of the Queen's jubilee in 2002.
Answer
I expect that the Scottish Parliament will want to mark Her Majesty The Queen's Golden jubilee in 2002. The exact nature of any event is still to be discussed by the Parliamentary Bureau and any Bureau proposals will be brought forward in due course for the Parliament to consider.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Scotland's interests are represented in the work of the Office of Communications (OFCOM).
Answer
The Scottish Executive is working to ensure Scotland's needs are represented within OFCOM. We are currently discussing Scotland's position with the UK Government and will have opportunity to comment formally during the consultation period planned for next year.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor local loop unbundling throughout Scotland.
Answer
Oftel monitors BT's delivery of unbundling facilities throughout the UK on an on-going basis.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government in support of the establishment of a Scottish committee of the Office of Communications (OFCOM) and how it will monitor the work of OFCOM as it relates to Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including Scottish representation within OFCOM.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 26 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for local loop unbundling throughout Scotland.
Answer
Operators can order unbundling services at any exchange in the UK. Since April 2001, BT has stated that it can resource any requests for unbundling on a "business as usual" basis. However, it is a commercial decision for operators where they want to place such orders.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 25 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences involving the possession or use of knives there were in the City of Edinburgh in each year since 1997.
Answer
The available information concerning crimes involving the possession of a knife is given in the following table:
Crimes of possession of an offensive weapon recorded by the police in the City of Edinburgh
Crime | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
Possession of an offensive weapon1 | 190 | 213 | 283 | 408 |
Having in a public place an article with a blade or point2 | 142 | 142 | 158 | 161 |
Total | 332 | 355 | 441 | 569 |
Notes:
1. Crimes of possession of penknives or other short bladed articles are normally recorded under this category but possession of offensive weapons other than knives will also be included.
2. This crime category may include possession of articles that are not knives but have blades or sharp points but will not normally include possession of penknives or other short bladed articles.
Crimes where a knife is used to threaten or injure will be recorded only under the relevant crime e.g. Serious Assault, Robbery etc and are not separately distinguished in the available statistics. The only exception is crimes of homicide, where the available information is given in the following table:
Homicide victims1 in the City of Edinburgh, where the main method of killing is by a sharp instrument
Notes:
1. Currently (as at November 2000) recorded as homicide victims.
