- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to announce the findings of the review of trunk road schemes initiated in June 1997 by the Minister then responsible for transport.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will wish to take stock of the Strategic Roads Review initiated by the UK Government and consider the role of such roads within the integrated and sustainable approach to transport described in Partnership for Scotland. Thereafter, we shall announce our proposals for trunk road developments.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 21 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to carry out any investigation into the current management and operation of East Lothian Council's education department.
Answer
We have no such intention. The published draft of the Improvement of Education Bill makes provision for the inspection of local authority education functions and a programme of inspections of local authorities will take place over a 5 year period.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 21 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding or resources it intends to make available to East Lothian Council's education department to improve education and safety for pupils and staff.
Answer
East Lothian Council has substantial resources available to it for education. These include funds, targeted through the Excellence Fund, for the improvement of standards, and under the specific grant for the improvement of school security.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 19 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives or legislative proposals it intends to bring forward to support or promote cycling proficiency in schools, and whether it intends to provide additional resources to do so either directly to schools or through local authorities.
Answer
The Scottish Road Safety Campaign, funded by the Government, has recently reviewed the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme. In the light of this review, training materials are being revised. A new training pack will be issued early next year to all Road Safety Units in Scotland and its use promoted in schools throughout the country. As local authorities already have wide powers and duties in respect of road safety, it is not considered that additional legislation is necessary in order to support or promote cycling proficiency in schools. Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, resources allocated for road safety education and publicity were increased by £1 million over the 3 years beginning 1999-2000.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 15 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates have been made of the level of use of the powers proposed to be granted to consumer bodies, including the citi'ens advice bureaux, to take legal action in relation to unfair contract terms.
Answer
None. Consumer bodies will be able to make their own decisions, taking into account the incidence of relevant problems and their own local priorities and resources. The Director General of Fair Trading will continue to be under a duty to consider all complaints he receives about the use of unfair terms.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 15 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has regarding the provision of community legal services and what the timetable is for progressing the proposals contained in the document "Access to Justice: a consultation paper on civil legal aid".
Answer
I am considering the way forward on the proposals in "Access to Justice Beyond the Year 2000" in the light of analysis of responses to the paper and more recent developments. I hope to announce detailed plans in due course.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 15 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to fund citi'ens' advice bureaux in order that they can provide services and in particular to ensure that they can exercise the powers proposed to be granted to them in relation to unfair contract terms.
Answer
The level of support for advisory services is a matter for local authorities in the light of local needs and priorities and the resources available to them. The DTI funds the national and Scottish associations of Citizens Advice Bureaux to provide a range of central services to support the operation of local CABx.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 15 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had, or plans to have, any meetings with companies or organisations involved in the manufacture or supply of genetically modified food products.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has not had specific meetings with such organisations although there has been full consultations on the recent legislative changes on labelling. In due course it will, however, be important to obtain views from all Scottish interests in genetically modified food - including consumer, environmental and industry interests.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 14 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to seek a review or variation of the 40 year rule, in relation to the publication of documents, for documents held by Scottish Natural Heritage and, and if so, to detail the proposed terms of access to such documentation.
Answer
The Scottish Executive intends to consider, in its forthcoming consultation on freedom of information, whether any change is required to the existing legislation and rules, such as the 30 year rule, which apply to the release of public records in Scotland, including those held by NDPBs such as Scottish Natural Heritage.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 13 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends make a statement as to what percentage of revenue collected by virtue of road tolling will be spent on the infrastructure of public transport and roads network.
Answer
Our initial proposals on the use of revenue collected by means of possible future road user charging or workplace parking levy schemes are set out in the consultation paper on these issues published today. A copy of the paper will be deposited in the Parliament's Information Centre. Following consultation, our proposals will be incorporated into the planned Transport Bill.
