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: S1W-10467

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by David Steel on 6 November 2000

To ask the Presiding Officer how many of the Parliament's staff were seconded from (a) the UK civil service; (b) other public sector bodies, and (c) the private sector (i) as at 1 July 1999 and (ii) currently.

As at 1 July 1999, all staff working in the Parliament were employed by the Scottish Executive and had been recruited by them on our behalf. Out of a total of 319 staff in post at that time: 96 were career civil servants from the Scottish Executive; eight were seconded from Westminster; and 215 had been recruited directly from a variety of sources such as local government, central government departments, other public sector bodies and the private sector. A detailed breakdown is not readily available.

So far as the current staffing situation is concerned, out of a total of 371 staff in post: 316 are employed by the SPCB direct; 53 are seconded from the Scottish Executive and two are seconded from Westminster.

Question reference: S1W-10509

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 2 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support the slate industry.

Question reference: S1O-02470

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 2 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer or the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry about the Scottish oil industry and what specific issues were discussed.

Question reference: S1W-10514

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 30 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding any effect upon small businesses in Scotland of implementing and running stakeholder pension schemes.

Question reference: S1W-10299

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding tax incentives to maintain and encourage creative artists in Scotland.

Question reference: S1W-10465

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sam Galbraith on 30 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance is given to Cruse Scotland.

Question reference: S1W-10307

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide assistance through grants or incentives to the acting profession.

Question reference: S1W-10315

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 30 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to regulate landing charges for cruise liners at Scottish ports.

Ports and harbour authorities in Scotland have a right to charge dues for ships, passengers and goods. Their general powers derive from the Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act 1847 and further controls in the Harbours Act 1964 (which include giving users a right of appeal to Ministers over the level of charges). These general powers have been supplemented in individual cases by provisions in local Acts or Orders under the Harbours Act 1964. The Executive has no plans to amend this system.

Question reference: S1W-10335

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many backpackers visit Scotland annually; whether it has any information regarding (a) their countries of origin; (b) their modes of travel to Scotland; (c) their reasons for visiting; (d) the average length of their stays; (e) what accommodation is used and preferred by them; (f) the locations they visit, and (g) their modes of travel within Scotland, and what contribution it estimates is made by backpackers to the Scottish economy.

Question reference: S1W-10337

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 October 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people visited Scotland from Austria over the last five years, broken down by mode of travel to Scotland, and what contribution it estimates these visitors made to the Scottish economy.

	1996	1997	1998	1999
Trips	22,000	13,000	22,000	20,000
Spend	£4 million	£6 million	£11 million	£11 million