- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is, including labour, materials, fittings and VAT, of creating the media centre in the east wing basement of St Andrew's House during the current refurbishment, and why this project was undertaken, given the availability of such a facility in Conference Room 1, Victoria Quay.
Answer
The additional cost of creating a media centre in the basement of St Andrew's House is £102,000 out of a refurbishment budget of £20 million. The conference suite at Victoria Quay is not a media centre. Its use by Ministers for this purpose follows the removal of previous facilities in St Andrew's House during the refurbishment process. The media facility makes good use of basement space allowing the Executive to maximise the usable space elsewhere in the building.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it ring-fences local authority funding for the building of village halls in order to protect such projects from any local authority expenditure cuts.
Answer
No. Local authority non-housing capital allocations are mainly unhypothecated because local authorities are best placed to determine their own priorities in the light of their local circumstances.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the density of dumped munitions, including flares, along the route of the proposed Northern Ireland to Scotland interconnnector and what action it is taking to address the possibility of work on the interconnector dislodging further munitions from the seabed.
Answer
Reports of the survey work undertaken by the Marine Laboratory Aberdeen in the vicinity of Beaufort's Dyke in 1995 and 1996 have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre as well as a copy of the 1996 report
Review of ROV Survey Composite Video & Data Tabulation for Munitions-Related Seabed Debris undertaken by Linke & Associates Limited on behalf of Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE).
In the light of this detailed survey work the route of the interconnector has been selected by NIE to avoid munitions detected and the use of a remotely operated vehicle water-jetting system specified in the cable laying contract with its high-resolution detection equipment will make it possible to avoid any extraneous objects on the seabed. The risk of munitions disturbance is therefore regarded as minimal. Northern Ireland Electricity has given an assurance that they will continue to co-operate with the relevant authorities before and during execution of the works at sea.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered assisting the villagers of Tarbrax in South Lanarkshire with funding for the building of a village hall.
Answer
The application by South Lanarkshire Council, on behalf of Tarbrax Village Hall Association, for funding towards the building of a new village hall in Tarbrax, is one of 40 bids under consideration. I hope to be able to announce decisions on awards soon.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken with regard to the phosphorous flares which were washed up on Troon beach and the Heads of Ayr in recent days, and what precautions it is taking to ensure public safety in the event of further finds of such flares.
Answer
The Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Northern Diving Group based at Faslane has been collecting and disposing of the phosphorous flares washed up recently on beaches at a number of locations in south west Scotland. This is in line with well-established procedures involving liaison between the police, coastguard, local authorities and EOD personnel. Local authorities have placed warning notices on public beaches. Further warnings have also been relayed to the owners of private beaches and the general public either directly or through the media.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is presently available for the building of village halls in rural communities (a) directly from the Executive and (b) through grants from local authorities funded by the local government financial settlement.
Answer
Funding for village halls is met from the Executive's Local Capital Grants Scheme, which is one of three elements of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund. Financial provision for the total fund in 2000-01 is £2.8 million. I am not yet in a position to say how that total amount will be apportioned among the three elements of the fund. Local authorities have discretionary powers to pay grants. It is entirely a matter for individual local authorities how much they make available for any specific purpose.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to Lord Johnston's statement paying tribute to Shirley McKie at the conclusion of her case in Glasgow High Court in May 1999 and whether it will encourage Strathclyde Police and the Scottish Criminal Records Office to make statements apologising to Ms McKie.
Answer
I am aware of the statement. It would not be appropriate for me to make any comment at this stage.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are presently applied in determining funding for the building of village halls.
Answer
Funding for village halls is met from the Executive's Local Capital Grants Scheme, which is one of three elements of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund. The purpose of the scheme is to assist local voluntary, youth and community organisations to provide new or upgrade existing premises for educational, social and recreational activities. SED Circular 21/1990 - a copy of which is in SPICe - sets out the details of the scheme, including the criteria to be met.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the cost of building a village hall it normally meets.
Answer
Funding for village halls is met from the Executive's Local Capital Grants Scheme, which is one of three elements of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund. On a competitive basis, the scheme may provide up to 50% of eligible costs, subject to a maximum of £100,000.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Justice will give a substantive reply to my letters about the actions of the Scottish Criminal Records Office and Strathclyde Police in the case of Shirley McKie.
Answer
Replies to your letters to me of 20 January and 8 February and your letter of 20 January to Lord Hardie, about the case of Shirley McKie, have been held back pending decisions on the terms of reference for a review by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary of the standards and quality of work within the Fingerprint Section of the Scottish Criminal Record Office. Now that the terms of reference have been agreed and announced substantive replies will be sent today.
