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-04698

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 14 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a comprehensive policy and financial management review has been carried out on (a) Scottish National Heritage, (b) Scottish Environment Protection Agency, (c) Historic Scotland, (d) West of Scotland Water Authority, (e) North of Scotland Water Authority, (f) East of Scotland Water Authority, (g) Crofters Commission, (h) Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, (i) Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd, (j) Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency, (k) Advisory Committee on Sites of Special Scientific Interest, (l) Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland, (m) Highlands and Islands Enterprise, (n) Hill Farming Advisory Committee for Scotland, (o) Historic Buildings Council for Scotland, (p) Lands Tribunal for Scotland, (q) Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland, (r) Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland and (s) Scottish Arts Council and to specify, in each case where a review has taken place, when the review was carried out, what the recommendations of the review were and when each of the recommendations was implemented.

Policy and Financial Management Review (PFMR) is at the heart of the Executive's commitment to achieve better quality and more responsive public services. Reviews are usually conducted on a five-year cycle but the timing may be varied. Recent guidance on quinquennial reviews for public bodies has developed from previous approaches and now includes continuous improvement. It ensures that NDPBs:

are subject to regular and challenging review;

can deliver the Executive's agenda effectively and operate in an efficient and integrated way; and

retain a strong focus on improving future performance, including the scope for more partnership working and better use of technology.

Details regarding specific NDPBs are provided below.

NDPB	Last Quinquennial Review Completed or When expected	Review Recommendations	Recommendations Implemented
Scottish Natural Heritage	1999 (May)	Action Programme agreed 1999	Majority implemented between September and December 1999. Some on-going
Advisory Committee on Sites of Special Scientific Interest	No PFMR to-date
Scottish Environment Protection Agency	No PFMR to-date. Review planned 2001 (April)
Scottish Arts Council Never had one. Review delayed because of setting up of Parlt; Review planned for later this year or next	No PFMR to-dateReview deferred. Review date to be announced 2000-2001.
Lands Tribunal for Scotland	No PFMR to-date
Water Authorities: West of Scotland, 3 H2O established '96 therefore PFMRs due next yearNorth of Scotland, and East of Scotland	The 3 Water Authorities were established in 1996 therefore PFMRs due next year
Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland	Reviewed 1995	Commission to be relocated to its own officesEnsure Best Value on printing and publishing	1995 1995
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency	No comprehensive review. Prior Options review 1995. Next due 2000	SFPA to remain an Agency	Some minor amendments to the Framework Document
Historic Scotland	Policy and Finance Review 1992-1993	To remain an Agency for the next 4 years; pursue market testing and contracting out programme; introduce new mechanism for handling policy in framework document; review sponsorship responsibilities	Implemented 1994-1997
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland	PFMR 1998-99	Retain present status; core functions to be continued; privatisation or contracting out all activities not feasible; contract out in discrete areas; merger not cost effective or more efficient.	1999
Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland	Policy review 1997-98	Retain present status, objectives & membership	1998
Historic Buildings Council for Scotland	Policy review 1997-98	Retain present status, objectives & membership	1998
Crofters' Commission	PFMR currently on-going
Highlands and Islands Enterprise	Prior options completed 1996 (Dec). Stage II completed March 1999	Retain current status; several other recommendations	Majority implemented. Some on-going
Hill Farming Advisory Committee for Scotland	1998	Merger with Scottish Agricultural Consultative Panel	New body effective from September 1998
Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd	Not covered by PFMR
Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd	Not covered by PFMR

Question reference: S1W-05710

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 12 April 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of its timetable for the implementation of the recommendations of the report by the Scottish IACS Red Tape Review Panel and whether it will make a ministerial statement to the Parliament.

Question reference: S1W-05313

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 30 March 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful applications for support under the Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme, as set out by Lord Sewel in March 1999, there have been in each parliamentary constituency and what is the total value of these applications in each constituency.

Details of the number of successful Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme (ABIS) applications are not readily available by parliamentary constituency. The information is held on an agricultural parish and Departmental Area Office basis, and is summarised below.

	No of Approvals	Approved Grant (£)
Shetland	72	340,990.99
Orkney	1,466	3,684,295.22
Northern	981	2,676,580.30
Highland (mainland)	1,164	4,507,743.33
Skye	36	262,153.60
Western Isles	3	4,812.97
Grampian	353	702,510.13
Argyll & Islands	982	3,183,891.90
Arran, Bute & Cumbrae	270	941,893.51
Totals	5,327	16,304,871.95

Question reference: S1W-05196

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 March 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to monitor the indicators adopted by Her Majesty's Government as set out in the document A Better Quality of Life.

The document A Better Quality of Life, published before devolution, makes it clear that sustainable development is a devolved matter which it is for the Scottish Executive to take forward reflecting Scottish institutions, landscape, culture and way of life.

The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland, which I chair, has begun work on indicators which will reflect Scottish life and the priorities for sustainable development which I outlined to the Scottish Parliament on 3 February. In that work, the indicators mentioned in A Better Quality of Life may provide a useful reference but there are no plans for monitoring them.

Question reference: S1W-05194

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 March 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to develop "quality of life" indicators to measure progress in delivering sustainable development.

The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland, which I chair, has started work on the development of indicators of sustainable development for Scotland. A research contract will be let shortly to examine existing good practice in Scotland, to compare that with the best across the world and to propose a paper to open discussion across Scotland. It is hoped to produce, by the autumn, a set of indicators of practical value for trial in the next financial year.

Question reference: S1O-01319

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 9 March 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and what matters were discussed.

Question reference: S1W-03464

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when it received the consultation document on the National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Her Majesty's Government, when its response to the document was submitted to Her Majesty's Government and whether copies of the response will be made available to the Parliament.

The National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations has been under review since early 1997 with extensive consultation conducted through a Consultative Forum of interested parties, including Scottish local authorities. The Forum completed its consideration of the final draft on 8 November and Lord Macdonald, Minister for Transport, has written to me on the matter. A copy of the Plan will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre in due course.

Question reference: S1W-03087

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current planning process as applied to applications for the development of wind farms and small hydroelectric schemes requires protection of the environment to be balanced against the interests of developers.

Question reference: S1W-03086

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has produced guidelines to achieve a balance between support for the development of small hydroelectric schemes and the protection of the natural environment and, if not, when such guidelines will be produced.

Question reference: S1W-03085

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has produced guidelines to achieve a balance between support for the development of wind farms and the protection of the natural environment and, if not, when such guidelines will be produced.

Guidance on renewable energy, including windfarms and hydroelectric schemes, is contained in National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 6: Renewable Energy and Planning Advice Note (PAN) 45: Renewable Energy Technologies, which were issued in 1994. NPPG6 states that "planning authorities should seek through their policies and decisions to provide positively for renewable energy developments, where this can be achieved in an environmentally acceptable manner". NPPG6 is currently under review and we intend to issue revised guidance by summer 2000.