- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 27 December 2001
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-20306 on 7 December 2001, whether any amounts from the five payments that were made to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd were in respect of work carried out by sub-contractors of Flour City and what the nature of any such work was.
Answer
The payments made by the Scottish Parliament to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd related to work performed in compliance with the contract between those two parties. The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that the Parliament is not responsible for, and therefore holds no details of, payments made by Flour City to its sub-contractors.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 27 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to his answers to questions S1W-20206 and S1W-20210 on 6 December 2001, which of the sub-contractors of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd (a) received payment of their accounts in full, (b) received part-payment of their accounts and (c) received no payment of their accounts, and whether those who did not receive full payment of their accounts from the official receiver of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd will receive payment from the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.
Answer
The position of sub-contractors to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd is a matter for the appointed receiver, D J Manning, Bo'ness, West Lothian.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 21 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether trustees of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes have the discretion to distribute sums to members or their dependants in addition to the sums that they currently propose to distribute.
Answer
The administration of the Scottish Transport Group (STG) pension schemes and the securing of benefits under the schemes are entirely matters for the trustees of the scheme. On wind-up of the STG pension schemes, and the dissolution of the Scottish Transport Group, any sum remaining in the group will fall to the UK Exchequer. Scottish ministers have, however, secured the distribution of up to £118 million by way of ex-gratia payments to former members of the STG Pension Schemes.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 21 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discretion under the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information to place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre any correspondence passing between it and the trustees of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has discretion under the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information not to release information which would harm the frankness and candour of discussion and advice or where any information was given in confidence.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 21 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any correspondence between it and the trustees of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes and, if it will not, under which provision of the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information a decision not to publish any such correspondence would be based.
Answer
No. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Executive to disclose information which would harm the frankness and candour of discussion and advice given in confidence including between the Executive and the Scottish Transport Group and the Trustees of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes. The provisions of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access are relevant.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 21 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive why applicants for university places are asked to disclose their parents' occupation and what discussions it has had with universities on this issue.
Answer
The content of the application forms is a matter for the universities themselves and the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), the body through which all applications for university places are routed. The UCAS application form includes a question on occupational background which the guidance to applicants explains is used by UCAS for the purpose of monitoring equal opportunities. The information is used by UCAS in anonymised form for statistical purposes, such as the compilation of comparative data on application and entry rates from specific social groups. UCAS advises applicants that the information is not passed to institutions until after the selection process is complete.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 21 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will have any further discussions with Her Majesty's Government regarding amounts to be distributed to members of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes or their dependants and any amounts from those schemes to be paid to Her Majesty's Government and/or the Inland Revenue.
Answer
As I announced in the Parliament on 29 November, Scottish ministers have secured for distribution, to former members of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes, an additional £18 million by agreement with Treasury Ministers. This means that up to £118 million will now be distributed to beneficiaries. I have no plans to discuss this further with Treasury Ministers.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 21 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the setting of a non-domestic rate of 47.8% for 2002-03 will place Scottish businesses at any competitive disadvantage to businesses in England and Wales and how the Scottish rate compares with the rates proposed for (a) England and (b) Wales in 2002-03.
Answer
No. We propose to increase the Scottish poundage rate by 1.7% to 47.8p for 2002-03 in line with the retail price index. The poundage rate in England and Wales will also increase by the same amount to 43.7p and 43.3p respectively.Rates bills are a product of poundage rate and rateable values. Rateable values have been increasing faster in England than in Scotland. Small businesses in Scotland also benefit from a 2p discount which is not available in England or Wales.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 20 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement a policy based on the conclusions reached in paragraphs 78 and 88 of the Stage 1 Report by the Rural Development Committee on the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill.
Answer
The conclusions reached by the Rural Development Committee recorded in these paragraphs in the Stage 1 Report relate to the use of terriers underground and the activities of the Scottish Hill Packs. The Executive neither propose to implement a policy nor introduce measures to give effect to those conclusions. The Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill has undergone amendment at Stage 2 to cater for pest control exceptions, reflecting the views of the committee. That legislation, as determined at Stage 3 and ultimately interpreted by the courts, will determine what use of dogs is permitted and what constitutes an offence.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 20 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any amendments which it may bring forward for Stage 3 of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill will deal solely with technical matters and, if not, what the scope of any amendments will be.
Answer
The Executive remain neutral in relation to the policy of this Bill except where it cuts across Executive policy, has a financial implication for the Executive or is deemed to be unworkable in law. On consideration of the Bill, as amended at Stage 2, I can confirm that any amendments that the Executive consider are required at Stage 3 will be technical in nature.
