Questions and answers

Question reference: S4F-00746

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2012

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the recently published Audit Scotland report, The National Fraud Initiative in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-06799

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to invest in broadband improvements and connectivity in Perth and Kinross.

Scotland’s Digital Future: Infrastructure Action Plan, published on 31 January 2012, sets out the Scottish Government’s 2020 world-class digital connectivity targets, with a step-change by 2015. The 2015 target – availability of broadband at a speed of 40-80 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 85-90% of premises – is outlined in Programme 1 of the Infrastructure Action Plan, and will be delivered by two closely related procurements.

As we progress through delivery and implementation of Programme 1, we will be working collaboratively with Perth and Kinross Council to ensure that we fully understand local plans and priorities in the region.

Question reference: S4W-06800

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to invest in broadband improvements and connectivity in Fife.

Scotland’s Digital Future: Infrastructure Action Plan, published on 31 January 2012, sets out the Scottish Government’s 2020 world-class digital connectivity targets, with a step-change by 2015. The 2015 target – availability of broadband at a speed of 40-80 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 85-90% of premises – is outlined in Programme 1 of the Infrastructure Action Plan, and will be delivered by two closely related procurements.

As we progress through delivery and implementation of Programme 1, we will be working collaboratively with Fife Council to ensure that we fully understand local plans and priorities in the region.

Question reference: S4W-06798

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to invest in broadband improvements and connectivity in the (a) Amulree, (b) Loch Tay, (c) Strathardle and (d) Trochry areas.

Scotland’s Digital Future: Infrastructure Action Plan, published on 31 January 2012, sets out the Scottish Government’s 2020 world-class digital connectivity targets, with a step-change by 2015. The 2015 target – availability of broadband at a speed of 40-80 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 85-90% of premises – is outlined in Programme 1 of the Infrastructure Action Plan, and will be delivered by two closely related procurements.

As we progress through delivery and implementation of Programme 1, we will be working collaboratively with Perth and Kinross Council to ensure that we fully understand plans and priorities for the local authority region, including Amulree, Loch Tay, Strathardle and Trochry.

Question reference: S4W-06801

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to invest in broadband improvements and connectivity in Stirling.

Scotland’s Digital Future: Infrastructure Action Plan, published on 31 January 2012, sets out the Scottish Government’s 2020 world-class digital connectivity targets, with a step-change by 2015. The 2015 target – availability of broadband at a speed of 40-80 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 85-90% of premises – is outlined in Programme 1 of the Infrastructure Action Plan, and will be delivered by two closely related procurements.

As we progress through delivery and implementation of Programme 1, we will be working collaboratively with Stirling Council to ensure that we fully understand local plans and priorities in the region.

Question reference: S4W-06797

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-06447 by Alex Neil on 16 April 2012, whether it has had discussions with BT regarding upgrading the exchanges and the funding required to convert them to full platform ADSL.

The Scottish Government held detailed discussions with BT in respect of the Exchange Activate Upgrade Programme, announced on 9 December 2009, in which 81 Exchange Activate exchanges, including Trochry and Amulree, received upgrades.

The objective of this programme was to increase capacity at exchanges which, at the time, were operating at full capacity (or were projected to reach full capacity).

Further upgrades to Exchange Activate exchanges are a matter for BT.

Question reference: S4W-06509

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what new funding streams are available to Perth now that it has city status.

I am delighted that Perth has been awarded city status as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It has been welcomed into the Scottish Cities Alliance and, along with Scotland’s other cities, Perth will be able to access the £7 million Cities Investment Fund to help develop collaborative programmes that promote growth, lever investment and protect and create jobs. It will also be able to apply for UK and EU funding for cities and the Scottish Cities Alliance will be considering how best to maximise investment in all Scotland’s cities and their regions.

Question reference: S4W-06510

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it considers that Perth will have in Scotland’s development now that it has city status.

Cities and their regions are key drivers of the economy. As part of the Scottish Cities Alliance, Perth will play a full part in seeking increased investment, jobs and businesses in cities and their regions, delivering a benefit for Scotland as a whole. The revision of the National Planning Framework, announced in March 2012, will provide a further opportunity to consider the role of cities in the national context.

Question reference: S4W-06511

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to promote Perth across the world now that it has city status.

Perth is currently widely promoted across Scotland's key markets under the Perthshire brand. Now it has regained city status, VisitScotland’s promotional material will highlight Perth as a city. Perth will also take its place in the cities section of VisitScotland's consumer website following its re-launch at the end of this month. In addition to other ongoing marketing activity, VisitScotland will also continue to work closely with the Perthshire Area Tourism Partnership on developing a tourism strategy and action plan for the area.

Question reference: S4W-06447

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 16 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will upgrade the (a) Trochry and (b) Amulree exchange to full platform ADSL in 2012.

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