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: S1W-01382

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 17 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-521 by Mr Jack McConnell on 23 August, how the #100 average cost of answering a Scottish Parliamentary Question was calculated and whether this average cost is a mode, median or mean average.

The £100 average cost was calculated by estimating the amount of time spent by members of staff of the Scottish Executive on dealing with a limited sample of Scottish Parliamentary Questions covering a range of subjects. Staff time was costed to include, for each grade of staff, a share of the overhead costs of the Scottish Executive. The overhead costs are based on expenditure in 1998-99. The total value of staff time was divided by the number of questions in the study to arrive at an average cost per question of about £100.The preliminary work to assess average costs was undertaken over a short period and with a relatively small sample of questions so that a broad indication of costs could be provided quickly to members who asked for that information. The Executive intends to undertake a detailed study of the cost of answering questions over the coming months and will make the results of that exercise available to members.

Question reference: S1W-01380

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 17 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister has met with the Chairman of Caledonian MacBrayne since Dr Mills' appointment to that position and, if so, on what dates.

Question reference: S1W-00853

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 August 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 17 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will use powers under Schedule 12 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to make regulations with regard to Section 6 of the Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act 1956, and in particular whether it will use the powers prescribed thereunder to make regulations in order to reduce business rates for smaller businesses.

The powers under Schedule 12 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to make regulations with regard to Section 6 of the Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act 1956 may be used to prescribe how the Net Annual Value (NAV) of lands and heritages is calculated. It would therefore not be appropriate to introduce a rate relief scheme for small businesses under these powers.Powers do exist in terms of Section 153 of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 to prescribe the amount payable in non-domestic rates in respect of any lands and heritages. We will consider whether rates relief for small businesses is needed in the light of the results of the independent revaluation survey of the rates base (expected in late autumn).

Question reference: S1W-01255

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 17 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive who will prepare the new strategy for tourism.

Question reference: S1W-01606

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 16 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that it would be of benefit to business in Scotland if it exercised the tax varying power for the years 2000-01 and 2001-02.

Question reference: S1W-01330

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 16 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government requesting that Post Office sub-post masters in Scotland be entitled to be remunerated for their work in accordance with the principals of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.

Question reference: S1O-00335

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 16 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that it would be of benefit to business in Scotland if it exercised the tax varying power for the years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002.

Question reference: S1W-01278

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Andrew Hardie on 15 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-113 by Lord Hardie on 6 July, whether it will publish all or any of the legal advice it has received in relation to the right of a victim of crime to be afforded a full explanation of the reasons for a decision not to go ahead with criminal proceedings.

Question reference: S1W-01276

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Andrew Hardie on 15 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-113 by Lord Hardie on 6 July, whether it will define, describe and elucidate the circumstances in which a form of restricted disclosure of the reasons for not proceeding against an accused may be made and why such disclosure must be restricted.

Decisions regarding disclosure of reasons for not raising criminal proceedings require to be made on a case by case basis. As with all prosecution policy, Procurators Fiscal are subject to confidential guidance approved by the Lord Advocate. Procurators Fiscal exercise discretion as to whether there can be any degree of disclosure within the terms of that guidance.Decisions will be based on reports and statements which are confidential. In addition, to disclose reasons may be tantamount to exposing the persons involved to a form of public trial without their having been given an opportunity to defend themselves or explain their position.

Question reference: S1W-01275

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 15 September 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reform the law to require Scottish Enterprise (SE) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to be consulted, prior to the designation of an area as Site of Special Scientific Interest, as to the effects of such a designation on the economy and the Parliament to be consulted where SE and HIE consider that such a designation would be harmful.