- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 21 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what fees are being paid to members of the advisory group that is assisting it in devising events and a strategy for commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns; what criteria were used to appoint the group; who appointed the members; to which minister the group will report and in what way, and whether these arrangements conform with the Nolan Committee's principles on public appointments.
Answer
No fees are being paid to members of the advisory group, which consists of senior representatives of those organisations known to be involved in events to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns. I invited the members of the group to participate, and they will report to the First Minister and me through the Executive.Because of the short-term nature of the group and its purely advisory role, the Union of the Crown's advisory group does not come within the scope of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 21 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what budget it has set aside for commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns and where this budget is shown in published figures on its general expenditure.
Answer
The programme of events planned to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns is not yet finalised, but we anticipate that the Scottish Executive will provide some funding from its Major Events budget.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 21 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its target is for the number of additional tourists that will be attracted to Scotland as a result of the events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns.
Answer
There is no target for the number of additional tourists that will be attracted to Scotland as a result of the events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 21 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how its plans to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns will assist in marketing Scotland as a clearly identifiable tourist destination.
Answer
Scotland's unique heritage is a proven attraction for visitors to this country, and the 400th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns is a significant date in Scotland's rich cultural and political history. We expect that the wide range of events planned to commemorate the Union will attract more people to experience Scotland for themselves.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mike Watson on 21 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will commemorate the role that the Scots language played in literary and artistic activity in the Scottish Court at the time of the Union of the Crowns in the events planned to mark the 400th anniversary of that union and what impact this commemoration will have on the use of Scots, particularly in literary terms.
Answer
The advisory group is considering plans for a range of events, and an announcement will be made in due course.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 20 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1F-2474 by the First Minister on 6 February 2003, whether the use of the quotation contained in that answer, taken from an article of mine in The Herald on 22 October 2001, and intended to show support for the stance taken by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport on the national theatre and its funding, was complete without including the next sentence in the article, "But, equally, to invest in existing theatre and leave the national theatre plan hanging in the air where it has been for the past decade or more would indicate no ambition for Scottish arts and culture and no commitment to making progress", and whether the use of the quotation in that manner by the First Minister was contrary to the founding principles of the Parliament.
Answer
The use of quotations in answers to parliamentary questions, in debates and in speeches is a perfectly legitimate practice.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 20 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received a letter from Associated British Ports (ABP) about the publicity and public relations for the visit to Troon of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal on 30 October 2002 in connection with the centenary of the sailing of the vessel Scotia to the Antarctic and, if so, what response it has made, or plans to make; whether one of its officials advised ABP to leave the matter of publicity to the Executive; whether the visit received sufficient publicity, and what its position is on the concerns of ABP regarding the adequacy of the publicity that the visit received.
Answer
Associated British Ports (ABP) has not written to the Scottish Executive about this matter. A representative of ABP telephoned the Scottish Executive shortly before the visit to request accreditation for its photographer. This request was granted and the standard conditions for use of host photographers at royal engagements were explained. This was the only aspect of media coverage discussed with ABP.I am satisfied that the Scottish Executive carried out its role fully and in accordance with normal operational procedures for royal engagements.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 20 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the impact of any reductions in local authority budgets for snow clearing on the number of weather-related school closures.
Answer
No such assessment has been made.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 19 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons are to be learnt from any complaint by Troon Business Association about the Executive's involvement in the publicity and public relations for the visit of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to Troon on 30 October 2002 in connection with the centenary of the sailing of the vessel Scotia to the Antarctic.
Answer
The Executive carried out its role fully and in accordance with its normal remit for Royal engagements. Current operational procedures have proved to be both efficient and effective. It is of course for the media, both local and national, to choose which royal engagements they wish to cover.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 18 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures it will follow to enable parliamentary scrutiny of any reports on educational provision in Scotland by inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education.
Answer
Inspections of educational provision in Scotland are not carried out by inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education.
