- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 29 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for monitoring its co-operation agreement with the Northern Ireland Assembly government.
Answer
The FirstMinister will review progress on the joint statement he signed with the FirstMinister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 29 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor its co-operation agreement with the Northern Ireland Assembly government.
Answer
Progress acrossthe areas for co-operation outlined in the joint statement will be routinelymonitored by Scottish ministers and reviewed by the end of the year.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 29 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-732 by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007, when it will publish its strategy for international development.
Answer
Ministers areconsidering the role Scotland plays in international development andwill inform Parliament of the outcome in due course.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 28 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can guarantee that any council tax freeze imposed on Glasgow City Council by the Executive will not prevent the council from building the new schools planned for Milton and Ruchill in the Glasgow Maryhill constituency.
Answer
Discussions are taking place with local government, as part of the on-going spending review process, with a view to delivering a council tax freeze from 2008-09. At this stage, it is too early to speculate on the impact of what may emerge from those discussions. However, irrespective of the outcome, it will remain a matter for each local authority to determine how it uses the resources at its disposal to meet local needs and circumstances, including specific aspects of its school building programme.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 25 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to distribute the balance of the International Touring Fund for national performing companiesestablished by the previous administration, following its grant to the National Theatre of Scotland.
Answer
The 2007-08 InternationalTouring Fund of £350,000 has been allocated as follows:
| Company | Amount | Tour Information | Date |
| National Theatre of Scotland | £195,000 | Los Angeles and New York | October-November 2007 |
| Scottish Chamber Orchestra | £96,000 | Germany and The Netherlands Spain Belgium, France, Austria | July 2007 October 2007 February-March 2008 |
| Royal Scottish National Orchestra | £59,000 | Germany, Austria, Croatia | January 2008 |
Scotland has worldclass artists who deserve to be recognised and I am delighted to be able to provide support to all of the national performing companies who requested it. I have no doubt that these tourswill boost Scotland’s internationalimage and attract new audiences to Scottish cultural life.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect its proposed council tax freeze will have on Glasgow City Council’s ability to deliver the best educational opportunities to Glasgow’s young people.
Answer
Discussions are takingplace with local government, as part of the on-going spending review process, witha view to delivering a council tax freeze from 2008-09. At this stage, it is tooearly to speculate on the impact of what may emerge from those discussions. However,irrespective of the outcome, it will remain a matter for each local authority todetermine how it uses the resources at its disposal to meet local needs and circumstances.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will define artists in relation to the grants scheme proposed in the SNP manifesto.
Answer
I am at presentconsidering an appropriate definition of artists for the purposes of the operationof the proposal referred to in the question.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted research into the effect on water pressure to residents in areas where water hydrants are vandalised.
Answer
As this is an operationalmatter for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to your enquirydirectly.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any incidents where fire crews have been hampered in their responses to a fire because of vandalised fire hydrants.
Answer
The Scottish Executiveis not aware of any incidents where fire crews have been hampered in their responseto a fire due to a vandalised hydrant.
- Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund research to inform the design of a vandal-proof locking mechanism for fire hydrants.
Answer
Fire hydrants areinstalled by Scottish Water for the fire and rescue services. Any decision to undertakeand fund research into the design of a vandal-proof locking mechanism for fire hydrantsis a matter for Scottish Water and individual fire and rescue services.
In particular areasof Glasgow, trialling of lockable hydrant caps has beenundertaken, and new methods of protecting hydrants will continue. However, it hasto be recognised that there is a fine balance to be struck between completely securinghydrants against vandals, and ensuring the fire and rescue services and water workershave the access they need. Previous actions taken by the city-wide partnership involvingGlasgow City Council, the police, fire and rescue services and Scottish Water inhot spot areas has resulted in a reduction in such incidents.
