- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what alternative options were considered prior to the decision to bring Careers Scotland within the remit of Scottish Enterprise and what the reasons were for rejecting such options.
Answer
We published our response tothe Careers Service review on the 11 January 2001.This set out a range of options and highlighted the advantages and disadvantagesof each. These included:
Network independent companieswith a national partnership body.
Return of careers service tolocal authorities.
Create a new Executive Agency.
Create a newnon-departmental public body/Quango.
Merge with an existing agency.
Align with an existing agency.
This report is available onlinevia the Scottish Executive website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/employment/csr_response.pdf.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the statement by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 30 March 2006 that Scottish Enterprise will continue to invest over £500 million per year in Scotland's economic future (Official Report c. 24609) mean Scottish Enterprise will continue to have a budget of £500 million per annum following the removal of Careers Scotland from Scottish Enterprise.
Answer
When Careers Scotland transfersout of Scottish Enterprise the budget for Scottish Enterprise will be adjusted accordingly.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning first became aware of a projected overspend in Scottish Enterprise's budget for 2005-06.
Answer
I was made aware of ScottishEnterprise’s likely budget overspend on 25 January 2006.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive when KPMG was first asked to undertake work to confirm Scottish Enterprise's projected resource spend for 2005-06.
Answer
KPMG were invited to set outhow they would meet the Executive’s terms of reference on 28 March 2006.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions since 1999 has Scottish Enterprise not had a final agreed budget in place prior to the commencement of the financial year to which that budget related.
Answer
The Executive notifies ScottishEnterprise of its budget prior to the commencement of each financial year, as publishedin the annual Budget Bill. There are two occasions during each financial year whenrevisions to that budget may be proposed and approved by the Parliament.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how KPMG was selected to undertake work to confirm Scottish Enterprise's projected resource spend for 2005-06 and what alternatives were considered.
Answer
The selection of KPMG was througha Scottish Executive framework agreement. The framework was established after anEU-compliant tendering exercise and its remit covers reviews of this nature.
The Scottish Executive consideredselecting other companies from the framework to undertake the review. However, KPMGwas deemed to be the most capable of conducting an impartial review within the availabletimeframe.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much KPMG will be paid for its work to confirm Scottish Enterprise’s projected resource spend for 2005-06.
Answer
The value of the contract betweenthe Scottish Executive and KPMG for its work in relation to Scottish Enterprise’soverspend is around £60,000.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 4 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what trunk road upgrades or improvement schemes it is (a) committed to and (b) considering in the south of Scotland.
Answer
The schemes in the current trunkroad programme are shown on the Transport Scotland Website at
www.transportscotland.gov.uk.In addition, we are consideringin the South of Scotland studies into A7 Selkirk Bypass and A737 Dalry Bypass, whichwill be assessed as part of the Strategic Project Review.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 27 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to set up a scheme similar to the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives scheme which has operated in England since April 2005.
Answer
Scottish ministers reviewed proposalsto allow councils to retain some buoyancy from business rates as part of the CitiesReview and, following that review, established the Cities Growth Fund, which willprovide around £173 million to Scotland’s six cities over the period April 2003 to March 2008.
We are keeping under review whetherthere may be scope for a business growth incentive scheme in Scotland in thefuture. As part of these considerations we are keeping in touch with the operationof the Business Growth Incentive Scheme in England, including a review of thatscheme following its first year of operation.
- Asked by: Derek Brownlee, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 27 April 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies will not have final agreed budgets in place prior to the commencement of the 2006-07 financial year.
Answer
All non-departmental public bodieswere informed of their initial budgets for 2006-07 prior to the commencement of the financial year. As with Scottish Executive departments, these budgets are subjectto in-year revision as appropriate.
