- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 17 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive which of the recommendations of the House of Commons Select Committee on Scottish Affairs' Report on "Tourism in Scotland" (published on 21 July 1999) it (a) accepts, (b) is inclined to accept, (c) wishes to consider further and (d) rejects, and what the reasons are in each case.
Answer
We are preparing a new strategy for tourism which will address the issues raised by the Select Committee's report. The strategy will be published in January 2000.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 1999
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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, whether the reference to the #100 average cost of answering a Scottish Parliamentary Question being consistent with evidence from the UK Parliament means that the cost of answering Scottish Parliamentary Questions is (a) the same as or (b) different from the cost of answering UK Parliamentary Questions and, if it is different, whether the cost of answering Scottish Parliamentary Questions is more or less, and by how much, than the cost of answering UK Parliamentary Questions.
Answer
The average cost of £100 for answering written Scottish Parliamentary Questions is an estimate based on preliminary work undertaken over a short period and using a relatively small sample of questions. 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.The last comprehensive exercise to assess the cost of answering Westminster Parliamentary Questions was undertaken in 1991. The resulting average cost figure is uprated on an annual basis. The latest published figure for the average cost of answering written questions is £115 (Hansard, 11 March 1999, Column 363). This reflects uprating to April 1998.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 17 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any recent representations from the Mallaig and North West Fishermen's Association regarding amnesic shellfish poisoning and, if so, whether it will make a statement.
Answer
The Scottish Executive received a letter from the Mallaig and North West Fishermen's Association dated 20 August. The letter covered a range of issues, including amnesic shellfish poisoning. I have issued a reply to this letter.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 1999
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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.
Answer
No, the First Minister has not met the Chairman of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd since Dr Mills' appointment to that position. However, I met Dr Mills on Thursday 5 August.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 1999
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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.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 September 1999
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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.
Answer
This is a matter for The Employment Tribunal and Courts to determine.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 1999
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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.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will not be using the tax varying power during the lifetime of this Parliament. This has been widely welcomed by the business community in Scotland.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 1999
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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.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will not be using the tax varying power during the lifetime of this Parliament. This has been widely welcomed by the business community in Scotland.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
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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.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
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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 make a statement on the relevance of the European Convention on Human Rights to the refusal to advise victims of crime of the reason why no criminal proceedings have been raised in respect of such crime.
Answer
In certain circumstances to disclose reasons for not raising criminal proceedings could constitute a breach of the Convention rights of a victim, witness or accused. Rights secured under the Convention include the presumption of innocence and the right to privacy, both of which must be given due cognisance.
