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-30906

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 19 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are for local authorities to ensure that carbon monoxide detectors are in place in (a) sheltered housing, (b) care homes and (c) general housing stock under their control containing gas central heating or gas fires.

Question reference: S2W-30856

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 19 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish the report on the role of prison visiting committees and, if so, when.

Question reference: S2W-30909

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 19 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what interim arrangements it has put in place to protect and promote the rights of prisoners aged under 21, following the expiry of the remit of prison visiting committees for young offenders’ institutions.

I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

Interim arrangements wereput in place by SPS to allow existing YOI VC members who have re-applied for anappointment to continue in their role until new appointments are made.

Additionally some existingYOI VC members, who have not reapplied, agreed to continue in their role untilnew appointees are in place.

Question reference: S2W-30789

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 19 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered the impact of an acquisition of Forth Ports plc by a foreign buyer; what effect such an acquisition would have on Edinburgh and its economy, and what action it plans to take on the matter.

Question reference: S2W-30875

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 18 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the pilots and regulation of pilotage on the River Forth can be sold or acquired as part of any prospective sale of Forth Ports plc and, if so, what steps the Executive can take in event of ownership of the ports by a foreign buyer.

Question reference: S2O-11677

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 18 January 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the prison population is held in private prisons.

Question reference: S2W-30857

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to create a commissioner to cover the operation of prison visiting committees.

Question reference: S2W-30116

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 11 December 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Her Majesty’s Government about duty levels on fortified wines and, if so, what these representations were and what response was received.

Question reference: S2W-30115

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 11 December 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Her Majesty’s Government about increasing the level of duty on high-alcohol-by-volume ciders in line with that on beer and, if so, what these representations were and what response was received.

Question reference: S2W-30118

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2006
Current Status: Answered by Elish Angiolini on 7 December 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid to Dundas and Wilson in respect of legal and other advice received from it or agencies working on its behalf in each year since 1999.

The Executive introduced anew accounting system before the start of the 2002-03 financial year. Sincethat date, payments to Dundas and Wilson have been as follows:

Year	Payment
2002-03	£13,322
2003-04	£102,856
2004-05	£151,618
2005-06	£298,583

Figures for later yearsreflect work contracted out to Dundas and Wilson under the terms of a contract for the provision oflegal services since June 2003.