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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: S3W-37604

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 18 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the policy and financial management review of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

Following a tender exercise in May 2008, Quayle Munro (QM) was chosen to conduct the Policy and Financial Management Review (PFMR) of HIAL.

QM was tasked to consider the following:

the best future delivery model for the functions currently carried out by HIAL;

company performance since 1999;

the internal structures of HIAL;

the government/HIAL working relationship, and

working relations with other stakeholders.

A joint HIAL/Scottish Government Steering Group was formed to guide the Review and the work of QM. QM''s final report was presented to the Scottish Government in April 2009 and a copy has been provided to the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre (Bib number 52068).

The most significant conclusions from QM''s work were that:

HIAL''s current status as a public corporation is best in moving forward on the basis that it affords the Scottish Government an appropriate and cost effective level of control over air service provision in the Highlands and Islands;

the company should be afforded more flexibility on certain pay and staffing matters;

a review of operating costs, subsidy levels and potentially categorisation should be conducted for Wick and Campbeltown Airports;

the potential for operational efficiencies at Scatsta and Sumburgh Airports should be reviewed, and

consideration should be given to HIAL bringing Highlands and Islands local authority owned airports into the group.

For the reasons provided by QM, we agree with the conclusion that HIAL should remain a Public Corporation.

On more flexibility for the company on pay policy, we agree that this would be a reasonable consideration for the company and whilst it would be free to present a business case, it should be clarified that ministers are not minded at this point to remove from public sector pay policy rules those Scottish public bodies which they currently apply to.

Ministers remain committed to Wick and Campbeltown having appropriate transport connections. Whilst it is appropriate for HIAL to consider costs, subsidy levels and value for money at these airports, ministers believe that when considering the remoteness of the areas they serve and the lengthy surface connections which are often involved, their mainland status should not be a factor in any analysis or decisions taken.

The Scottish Government''s full response to the conclusions in QM''s report has been provided to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52068).

We will now draw up an action plan in consultation with HIAL covering those conclusions agreed.

Question reference: S3O-10498

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2010
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 13 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what it will do to promote the tourist industry in the Western Isles in 2010-11.

As with all areas of Scotland, the Western Isles is marketed by VisitScotland based on its considerable strengths and its ability to deliver what visitors are looking for on their visit to Scotland. VisitScotland uses a range of channels including new media and websites, cinema, TV and radio, direct mail and PR to reach potential visitors at home and abroad.

Particular examples of marketing campaigns which help attract visitors to the Western Isles include: A Perfect Day; Autumn Moments, Meet the Scots and of course the visitor guide for the Outer Hebrides which is available in over 100 visitor information centres across Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-32754

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Domestic) meeting on 10 March 2010.

On 10 March 2010, the First Minister and I attended the third meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Domestic), which included representatives from the UK Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Executive.

I am delighted to report that we agreed a revised and updated Memorandum of Understanding, the first since 2001, which includes a new protocol on dispute avoidance and resolution. These new agreements give Scotland a strong platform from which to advance its interests.

The meeting also held a useful discussion about meeting the challenges of the downturn through integrating employment and skills support and agreed that in recognition of the particular relevance and timeliness of this issue a follow-up discussion between the relevant Ministers of the four administrations should take place shortly.

I am placing a copy of the revised Memorandum of Understanding in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50576).

Question reference: S3W-32039

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the need for a croft tenant to purchase and decroft their croft in order to meet costs related to residential care or to a marital division of assets when such costs are calculated by means of market influence valuations by the district or other valuer.

The asset of a croft tenancy may be realised without the need first to purchase and subsequently to decroft. Croft tenancies are routinely advertised for sale in outlets throughout the crofting counties.

In relation to charging for residential care and assessing ability to pay, it is the responsibility of local authorities to interpret and apply the National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992. If a local authority is of the view that a croft tenancy constitutes capital for the purposes of those Regulations it will also need to consider whether the circumstances require or permit the application of a capital disregard. The resolution of a dispute over the interpretation of the Regulations is a matter for the courts.

In the case of a marital dispute the division of assets is a matter for those involved, and may require to be determined by the courts if an amicable or mediated solution can not be agreed.

Question reference: S3W-32185

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 March 2010
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will be making to the relevent agencies, including Scottish and Southern Energy, regarding repeated power failures at the Western Isles Hospital.

Question reference: S3O-09637

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 February 2010
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 February 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider expanding programmes to control numbers of greylag geese to cover small islands off Uist where they nest extensively.

Question reference: S3W-31155

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 3 February 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to the UK Government to ensure that UK legislation does not have the effect of running counter to the aims of the Scottish Government in relation to the issue of croft and croft house tenancy valuation.

Question reference: S3W-30131

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the December EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting.

An EU Fisheries Council ended late on 15 December in Brussels and agreed the TAC and Quota Regulation for 2010.

Against a background of a particularly challenging economic climate and the tough effort restrictions affecting a proportion of Scotland''s industry, the deal includes effective rollovers and quota increases for some of Scotland''s most valuable stocks while also ensuring that the sustainability of our stocks remains our primary concern. The £6.9 million North Sea and west of Scotland megrim fisheries will see a 10% quota increase in 2010. There will be a quota rollover for the monkfish fishery, worth over £28 million in 2008, with a flexibility provision which will allow up to 5% of the North Sea quota (460 tonnes) to be taken in the west of Scotland. This provision has been a long-standing request from the Scottish industry.

The cuts in nephrops and west of Scotland haddock quotas originally proposed have been mitigated. There is an effective rollover in the north Sea nephrops quota (a cut of 0.6%) and a 15% cut in the west of Scotland nephrops quota which is broadly in line with industry expectations at a time when Scotland only catches around two-thirds of its west coast nephrops quota. While the west of Scotland haddock quota will be reduced by 25% in 2010 rather than the proposed 54% cut, the European Commission has agreed to look again in early 2010 at the emergency technical measures re-imposed on the west coast at the November Council.

Council also confirmed the Commission''s decision to exempt from further cuts in days at sea 67 west coast vessels that catch a very low percentage of cod.

The Fisheries Council took place against the backdrop of the recent postponement of the EU-Norway negotiations. However, Council agreed to set interim quotas for stocks such as North Sea cod, North Sea haddock and mackerel to ensure fishermen can continue to go to sea while these talks are concluded.

The Council also approved a catch less, land more trial, which Scotland, in partnership with Denmark, Germany and the UK, has been promoting as another innovative way of rewarding fishermen for their conservation efforts. In return for catching and discarding less, fishermen will be allowed to land and earn more. This initiative will build on the success of Scotland''s Conservation Credits Scheme which rewards fishermen for pro-conservation activities with additional days at sea.

I will be writing to the Convener of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee in the coming days to set out the full details of the quota changes and other measures agreed at this week''s Council.

Question reference: S3O-07978

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 October 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can provide an update on the state of negotiations with regard to the forthcoming round of EU fisheries talks.

Question reference: S3W-27234

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Western Isles, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 24 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to the UK Government following the publication of an advert by defence contractor QinetiQ for a post to “undertake Range modernisation, integration of Command and Control functions for the Aberporth and Hebrides Ranges, and implement remote control and monitoring of much of the Hebrides Range T&E equipment” given that it has not yet announced the outcome of the consultation into the downgrading of the Hebrides Range.