- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 28 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that public sector organisations destroy sensitive data from computer equipment prior to disposal of the equipment.
Answer
British Standard BS ISO/IEC17799:2005, Information technology – Security techniques – Code of practice forinformation security management includes best practice guidance on the securedisposal and re-use of computer equipment and media.
The Scottish Executivefollows formal guidance compliant with the Standard issued by UK Cabinet Officeand prepared by the Security Services, covering the destruction and secureerasure of sensitive data on Executive computer equipment. This ensures that datais destroyed using software tools and other equipment specifically approved forpurpose.
The UK Cabinet Officethrough the Central Sponsor for Information Assurance (CSIA) issue guidance forthe wider public sector. Public sector organisations should follow the guidanceand the Standard and the auditing services used by the organisations shouldassure compliance with it.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 28 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals subscribe to the ministerial events’ podcasts, broken down into individuals from (a) within the Executive and (b) external sources.
Answer
The first video podcast of aministerial event was made available on Friday September 8. In the first sevendays (to Thursday September 14) when there were a total of 57 downloads.
The first audio podcast of FirstMinister’s questions was made available on Thursday, September 7, the second onSeptember 14. In the first eight days (to Thursday September 14) there were 580downloads.
The internal SCOTS computernetwork used by Executive staff prevents the downloading of any video or audiofiles (other than SETV – the Executive’s internal communications and learningchannels) therefore the figures apply principally to external sources.
The Executive web team has astand-alone broadband connection for quality control purposes and this was usedfive times for video podcasts, and five times for audio podcasts in the periodSeptember 7 to 14.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 28 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the podcasts on (a) the Sports Summit at Stirling University, (b) schools to junk junk food and (c) the Athletes Commission for the 2014 Commonwealth Games were downloaded prior to 14 September 2006, broken down into those downloaded from (i) within the Executive and (ii) external sources.
Answer
Ministerial Events Podcastdownloads prior to Sept 14:
(a) Nine (by Sept 18 thisfigure had risen to 90).
(b) 16 (22).
(c) 32 (33).
The figures applyprincipally to external sources. The internal SCOTS computer network used byExecutive staff prevents the downloading of any video or audio files other thanSETV (the Executive’s internal communications and learning channels) content.
However, the Executive webteam has a stand-alone broadband connection for quality control purposes andthis was used for one viewing of each podcast.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 20 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to newly formed companies beyond that provided by the Scottish Enterprise Network.
Answer
The delivery of business supportis mainly a matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.However, there are a number of schemes delivered or funded directly by the ScottishExecutive.
Support is available under SMART,SPUR and SPURPLUS grant schemes for newly-formed companies to carry outprojects to develop new products and processes. Additional support through the SCOREprogramme is available to assist companies undertaking research and developmentprojects in collaboration with the research base. The Innovators Counselling andAdvisory Service for Scotland (ICASS) provides free and impartial expert adviceon the development and protection of innovative ideas to Scotland’s loneinventors and small innovative companies.
In regard to investment, RegionalSelective Assistance provides discretionary grants that create or safeguard jobsin Assisted Areas - areas designated for regional aid under European community law.
The Executive funds the CarbonTrust in Scotland to assist companies in becoming more energy efficient,reducing their carbon emissions and saving on their energy bills. For new companies,the trust offers design advice to help them make the most of low carbon technologies,install effective energy controls and ensure that buildings are economically responsible.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 20 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to (a) examine the case for and (b) construct a bypass for the southern side of Dumfries.
Answer
The Strategic TransportProjects Review will consider transport corridors across Scotland,including Dumfries and South West Scotland.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 13 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the decision was taken to publish the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit’s Report on Regulatory Concerns and who took the decision.
Answer
The decision to publish thereport was taken on the 8 August 2006 when Cabinet gave approval to its publication.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 13 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the final draft of the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit’s Report on Regulatory Concerns was approved and by whom.
Answer
he Cabinet approved the finaldraft of the report on 8 August 2006 when they also agreed to its publication.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 28 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its departments operate targets for deregulation and, if so, what these targets are.
Answer
The Scottish Executive doesnot set deregulation targets.
We have a wide rangingcommitment toward Better Regulation (not just deregulation), as set out in theFramework for Economic Development in Scotland (FEDS), delivered by all departmentsassisted by the Improving Regulation Unit and the industry-led RegulatoryReview sub-group of the Small Business Consultative Group.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 16 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sets national standards on nutrition to be adhered to by hospitals and, if not, whether it has any plans to do so.
Answer
In September 2003, NHS QualityImprovement Scotland (NHS QIS) published standards on food, fluid and nutritionalcare in hospitals. It is available at:
www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/files/Food,%20Fluid%20Nutrition.pdf.Three of these standards havebeen reviewed by NHS QIS and their report, which was published on 10 September 2006, canbe found at:
http://www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/files/FFNCH_NOV_AUG06.pdfThis report shows that the standardsare making a difference. There has been a culture change within the NHS since thestandards were first published. They are groundbreaking and the first of their kindin the UK. However, implementation has been slow and there is still a lack of coordination.It is important that the standards are now implemented more effectively.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 3 August 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial contribution it anticipates will be made towards the cost of the Borders railway by (a) the Executive, (b) Scottish Borders Council, (c) Midlothian Council and (d) any other source, expressed in (i) current and (ii) 2002 prices.
Answer
The financial contributions whichthe Promoter of the Borders Railway has submitted to Parliament at 2002 base pricesis shown in section 56 of their Supplementary Memorandum on Funding and ProjectCosts which can be accessed via the following weblink.
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/waverlyRB/docs/PSRIssues/wr_ProMemoFundProjectCosts.pdf.The Scottish Executive’s contributionannounced on 16 March 2006 of £155 million at outturn prices equates to £136.66million at current prices. All other contributions are a matter for thepromoter to secure.
