- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 5 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an alternative weekly collection for residual refuse collection in a local authority area is a prerequisite for accessing funding from the Strategic Waste Fund.
Answer
We consider a numberof different factors, including residual waste collection methods, when assessingbids to the Strategic Waste Fund. However, alternate weekly collections are nota prerequisite for funding.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 4 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to publish its detailed site investigation of the former Ravenscraig steel works in Motherwell
Answer
Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency (SEPA) has not undertaken a detailed site investigation of theRavenscraig Steel works site. However, SEPA is aware that third party site investigationshave been carried out by previous and current site owners and some of these havebeen submitted to North Lanarkshire Council Planning department in support of planningapplications for the site.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 4 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Strathclyde Fire and Rescue has received from the Capital Investment Fund in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007.
Answer
Strathclyde Fire andRescue Service has received capital funding from the Fire Central Government budgetas follows:
| Year | £ Million |
| 2004-05 | 7,720,992 |
| 2005-06 | 8,790,000 |
| 2006-07 | 7,891,000 |
| 2007-08 | 8,245,000 |
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 24 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how much public subsidy will be paid to Scottish Opera in the current financial year and how much was paid in the two previous financial years.
Answer
A breakdown of publicsubsidy paid to Scottish Opera in the current financial year and in the two previousfinancial years is provided in the following table.
| | 2005-06 £ | 2006-07 £ | 2007-08 £ |
| Scottish Executive Funding (including any one off payments) | 12,270,942 | 7,896,293 | 8,293,700 |
| Other Funding (including local authority funding) | 235,747 | 252,610 | 253,000 |
| Total | 12,506,689 | 8,148,903 | 8,546,700 |
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 20 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current level of funding for Scottish Opera will be reviewed to put it on a par with Opera North’s funding level of £9.153 million for 2007-08.
Answer
Scottish Opera isone of Scotland’s five national performing companies. On 1April 2007, the Executive took over the Scottish Arts Council’s direct funding rolein relation to the companies, with the aim of guaranteeing first class artisticstandards whilst ensuring best value for taxpayers money.
Funding levels forthese companies are reviewed annually and are the subject of continuous and joint discussion. Future funding levelshave not yet been agreed.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how much (a) North Lanarkshire, (b) South Lanarkshire, (c) Falkirk and (d) East Ayrshire councils have been allocated from the £20.85 million Zero Waste Fund for 2009-10.
Answer
During his visit toStornoway on Monday 13 August 2007 the Cabinet Secretary forFinance and Sustainable Growth announced details of work targeted at deliveringlower ferry fares for Scotland’s island communities. The first step willbe a study to establish the most effective and sustainable structure for a RoadEquivalent Tariff (RET) pilot scheme for setting ferry fares in Scotland. The benefits to islanders is a fundamental part of thisstudy into RET.Details of the studyare provided in the news release available at
www.scotland.gov.uk.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 9 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current proposals in respect of the abolition of non-bench serving Justices of the Peace will be subject to review.
Answer
The CriminalProceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act, which includes provisions reformingthe system of lay justice, was unanimously passed by the Scottish Parliament inFebruary 2007. The reforms relating to the appointment, recruitment, trainingand appraisal of lay justices are expected to come into force in December. Akey principle underlying the legislative provisions is that people should infuture only hold office as a justice of the peace if they sit on the bench incourt. The Scottish Government regards that as settled law and policy and hasno plans to review it.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 9 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current proposals in respect of the abolition of non-bench serving Justices of the Peace will be the subject of detailed monitoring and evaluation, particularly with regard to the practical implications for law enforcement agencies.
Answer
Yes. The changesto lay justice, including their impact on the police, prosecution and courts, willbe subject to on-going monitoring and, in due course, independent evaluation totest whether the policy objectives have been achieved and to examine outcomes.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 1 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to commence clawback arrangements in respect of the £3 million regional selective assistance grant that was awarded to Freescale Semiconductor for its East Kilbride plant.
Answer
None of this grant has beenpaid.
- Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 27 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask Glasgow Housing Association to make the stock condition report by FPD Savills available to the Parliament and the wider public.
Answer
The FPD Savills valuation of the housing stock and related assets transferred to Glasgow Housing Associationwas released in May 2006 by the Scottish Government, following a request underthe Freedom of Information legislation. It is available on request through theCommunities Scotland website at:
http://www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk/stellent/groups/public/documents/webpages/cs_008357.hcspand I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Scottish Parliament InformationCentre (Bib. number 43163).
