Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-33836

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 8 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in staffing numbers since Skills Development Scotland was formed, broken down by (a) reception staff, (b) administrative staff, (c) advisers, (d) management and (e) other.

Question reference: S3W-33835

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 8 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what the management structure of Skills Development Scotland is and what policies are in place to ensure that decisions by Skills Development Scotland are made at the lowest possible level.

Question reference: S3W-33831

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group.

Question reference: S3W-33828

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what framework and procedures it is working to regarding the rollout of inshore fisheries groups around Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-33830

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group last met.

Question reference: S3W-33827

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the document, A Strategic Framework for Inshore Fisheries in Scotland.

The Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group (SIFAG) was established in 1999 by the Scottish Fishermen''s Federation and the then Scottish Executive. Its role was to advise on the development of policy and legislation relating to sea fisheries in inshore waters. SIFAG last met in June 2009 and no date has yet been set for its next meeting.

A Strategic Framework for Inshore Fisheries in Scotland was published by the then Scottish Executive in 2005, following a strategic review of inshore fisheries carried out by SIFAG which had begun in 2002. The document set out a strategic direction for inshore fisheries policy and announced proposals for a network of up to 12 inshore fisheries groups across Scotland.

Six IFG pilots were established during 2009 covering the Outer Hebrides, Clyde, South East, Small Isles & Mull, North West and the Moray Firth areas. A review of early lessons and economic benefits is being carried out. A further roll out of IFGs will be considered in the light of the findings of the review, which are expected later this year.

The existing IFGs are currently drafting management plans in line with the high level objectives contained in the Strategic Framework. Once these plans have been agreed by the IFG Executive Committees and Advisory Groups, Marine Scotland expects to consult SIFAG representatives to ensure that the plans are in line with national objectives and consider any issues which might have an effect outwith the area of the local plan.

Question reference: S3W-33832

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive when the next meeting of the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group will take place.

Question reference: S3W-33829

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 June 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is following the procedures for inshore fisheries groups outlined and agreed by stakeholders in A Strategic Framework for Inshore Fisheries in Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-33388

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 26 April 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 18 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive at what time on 20 April 2010 it was made aware that the Civil Aviation Authority (a) was considering reopening all UK airports later in the day and (b) had decided to reopen all UK airports.

Officials were alerted at around 16:50 on 20 April 2010 that the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was soon to meet to consider reopening portions of UK airspace to enable airlines to resume operations. We first became aware of the CAA''s decision to issue new guidance, which enabled the phased reopening from 22:00 on 20 April 2010 of much of the closed UK airspace, when Dame Deirdre Hutton delivered her statement at around 20:20 that evening. At this time it remained the case that many aircraft, crew and passengers were some time off being able to rendezvous together for resumption of normal services. In addition, and notwithstanding the opening of UK airspace, the CAA correctly forecast at that point that there would continue to be some closures under the new guidance albeit to a lesser extent.

Question reference: S3W-33387

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 26 April 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 18 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive at what time on 20 April 2010 the MV Hamnavoe sailed from Stromness to Bergen.

MV Hamnavoe departed Stromness for Bergen at midnight on 20 April 2010.

On 22 April 2010, during the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on the impacts of the disruption to aviation caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland, the Cabinet Secretary stated in response to a question from Liam McArthur MSP: As Mr McArthur will know, ferries cannot sail at the drop of a hat and the MV Hamnavoe was dispatched at 9 o''clock on Tuesday evening from Stromness to Bergen for an expected 18-hour crossing.

The Cabinet Secretary misread the timeline available to him as 21:00 was the time when MV Hamnavoe became available for redeployment after the completion of her scheduled daily sailings on the Pentland Firth. Midnight was the earliest time she could actually depart once all preparations had been completed.