Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16268 on 24 September 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

All Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland (OCPAS) regulated appointments are routinely shown on the Scottish Government website when they commence.

OCPAS regulated appointments made since May 2007 can be viewed on the internet at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/directory .

No UK-based Scottish Government officials receive assistance to pay for private school fees. Scottish Government staff posted abroad with accompanying children are eligible to receive financial assistance for educational costs. The amount of assistance is calculated in accordance with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office rules for foreign postings of civil servants.

The Scottish Government receives many representations on its energy policies, including the issue of nuclear power, from a range of individuals and organisations. As with all policy, these representations express a variety of views.

We have made it clear that Scotland does not want or need new nuclear power stations. We are developing renewable and low carbon energy supplies for a secure future. This view has been endorsed by the Parliament and commands wide respect across Scotland.

OCPAS (Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland) regulated appointments and most unregulated appointments follow Nolan principles.

Some bodies, both regulated and unregulated, require appointments to their boards to be made on a nomination basis. This is due to the statutory requirements of the founding legislation of these bodies. Nominations would be made, for example, by local authorities or relevant representative groups or bodies. Ministers will formally approve many of these appointments.

The number of appointments that have been made without adherence to Nolan principles since May last year is thought to be small. Specific information on this is not held centrally.

Based on provisional outturn figures announced on 19 June 2008, the underspend/overspend for each portfolio for the financial year 2007-08 is shown in the following table:

Directorate	2007-08 Provisional DEL Underspend/Overspend (£ Million)
First Minister	-7
Finance and Sustainable Growth	20
Health and Wellbeing	-2
Education and Lifelong Learning	-22
Justice	-29
Rural Affairs and the Environment	-23
Total Scottish Government Directorates	-63
Remaining Overallocation	27
Scottish Parliament and Audit Scotland	-6
Provisional DEL underspend for 2007-08	-42

 

The information regarding dinners and receptions held in Bute House by the First Minister for the period 1 January to 1 July 2008 and which have been receipted is detailed in the following table. The table is arranged by: event name, date of the event, overall cost of the event, including catering, staff costs, equipment hire, printing, entertainment and flowers, and the name of the caterer that provided the catering. The guest lists of those who have attended events hosted by Scottish Government ministers are routinely published on the Scottish Government website on a quarterly basis.

Name	Date	Cost in £ (Including VAT)	Name of Caterer
Dinner for US Congress	10 January 2008	£2,010.75	Valvona and Crolla
Dinner for Cultural Exchanges	22 January 2008	£1,207.48	Heritage Portfolio
Reception for Seafish Fryers Quality Award Presented to Glover and Co	27 May 2008	£504.99	Scottish Government
Dinner for Scientists	17 June 2008	£1,331.48	Heritage Portfolio
Dinner for Arts and Culture Policies	27 June 2008	£1,603.05	Centotre
Dinner Following Royal Garden Party	1 July 2008	£3,272.67	Lady Claire McDonald
		Total: £9,930.42

 

Guidance relating to the conduct of ministers is set out in the Scottish Ministerial Code. The code can be accessed on the Scottish Government website through the following link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/684.

There have been no non-departmental public bodies set up since May 2008. Further details on non-departmental public bodies can be found on the following website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/introduction.

These are matters for the relevant councils. The Scottish Government does not commission or approve individual school building projects.