Chamber and committees

The police have powers under Section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to stop traffic on any public road including the Forth Road Bridge.

The police also enforce traffic regulation orders made by the Forth Estuary Transport Authority which has responsibility for the management of the traffic on the Forth Road Bridge.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11615 on 28 April 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.

The Scottish Ministerial Code details the arrangements for the conduct of affairs by ministers and provides guidance by listing the principles and the precedents which may apply. The code is not a rule book, nor does it include or imply a complaints process. However, where a member, or any other party, writes to the First Minister to draw his attention to matters relating to the code, they will receive a formal reply from him or his office. The First Minister has received six letters since May 2007 which make reference to the code and are expressed in terms that make clear the correspondent wishes to draw his attention to matters of ministerial conduct. All have been received from members of the Scottish Parliament. After proper consideration of each case the First Minister has confirmed that he considers ministers had acted appropriately.

The government''s key aim in holding a National Conversation is to allow people to debate, reflect, and then decide how they wish to be governed in the future. The way in which people choose to engage in the debate will vary, but the government is committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to add their voice to the debate has the opportunity to do so.

The website has been the main focus of responses during the first phase of the conversation, and as of 22 April, there had been 3,606 comments posted on the National Conversation website, and 311 emails to the join in mailbox on the site. In addition, the government has directly received over 130 pieces of correspondence from organisations and individuals. It is not possible to provide a precise breakdown due to the processes involved.

All costs relating to the National Conversation have been met from existing budgets. There are currently the equivalent of three full-time members of staff in the National Conversation co-ordination team.

The design, publication, translation and launch of Choosing Scotland''s Future cost approximately £48,000. Other National Conversation events have so far cost around £10,300. Funding of approximately £87,000 over two years has been made available to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and Young Scot to facilitate the National Conversation among the third sector and young people respectively.

I have offered to provide evidence to the Europe and External Affairs Committee before the summer recess.

S3W-10618 was answered on 25 March 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.

S3W-10620 was answered on 25 March 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.

This information is available from the independent Scottish Prison Commission''s website at www.scottishprisonscommission.info.

The independent Scottish Prison Commission''s website, now gives details of its meetings since it was set up in September 2007. www.scottishprisonscommission.info.

The Prisons Commission has been set up to look specifically at the purpose of prison. However, the Scottish Government will of course give careful consideration to any views on community penalties that the Prisons Commission may express in its final report. Meantime, work is underway in taking forward the findings of the report of the Review of Community Penalties published last November.