- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 1 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve mobile 3G coverage across the country.
Answer
As set out in the Scottish Government’s Digital Strategy, published on 3 March 2011, we are committed to working with industry and Ofcom in identifying barriers to increased mobile coverage and assessing how these may be overcome. Many barriers to increased 3G mobile coverage are similar to those for next generation broadband. We are committed to improving coverage of both mobile and broadband as we implement our digital strategy over 2011 and beyond.
We recognise the potential of 4G mobile – the future generation of mobile services – to significantly improve both mobile and next generation broadband coverage throughout Scotland. We will shortly submit a response to Ofcom’s current consultation on the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum bands to maximise the potential benefits to Scotland from 4G.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 1 June 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in relation to the creation of a multi-modal smartcard system for public transport and whether this will be achieved within the current parliamentary session.
Answer
The Scottish Government has provided Smart enabled Electronic Ticket Machines to the entire Scottish bus fleet, as part of its administration of the National Concessionary Travel Scheme, and is working with First ScotRail on a trial of similar systems for the rail industry. A report setting out the findings of a comprehensive review to help advance Scottish Government policy towards Smart and Integrated ticketing in Scotland was published in March 2011.
We will continue to work with transport operators, local authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships to support the creation of a multi-modal smartcard ticket for public transport.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 31 May 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will use procurement policy as an incentive to the private sector to provide a living wage to all employees.
Answer
Low pay is an issue that the Scottish Government takes very seriously and we support the principles of the living wage campaign. The Public Sector Pay Policy for Staff Pay Remits 2011-12 published by the Scottish Government requires employers covered by the policy to pay their employees a Scottish Living Wage. This is currently set at £7.15 per hour.
Private sector pay, however, is a matter for individual companies. Imposing a requirement on contractors to pay their employees more than the National Minimum Wage could amount to a restriction of the freedom to provide services guaranteed by article 56 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 31 May 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the development of alternative economic indicators as a replacement for or supplement to GDP.
Answer
Over the past two years, the Scottish Government have developed a new range of quarterly economic statistics for Scotland. In addition to the output-based GDP measure, income and expenditure components have been estimated and are presented alongside the output estimates on a consistent basis. This forms part of the Scottish National Accounts Project (SNAP), see link below for more information:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/SNAP.
Since 2007, when the Scottish Government moved to adopt an outcomes-based model of governance, it has used a wide range of indicators to measure progress against the Purpose and National Outcomes set out in its National Performance Framework. These include economic, social and environmental measures. All measures used in the National Performance Framework and the full supporting data and methodologies used to determine direction of travel can be seen on the Scotland Performs website www.scotlandperforms.com.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 31 May 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted of aggravated offences under the Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2009 have received a (a) community or (b) custodial sentence.
Answer
On 18 May 2011, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) published a report on Hate Crime in Scotland 2010-11, which provides details of the initial decisions taken on how to proceed with hate crime charges. The publication includes information on the number of charges prosecuted in court but not on sentences, because the information COPFS hold on sentences is not complete. http://www.copfs.gov.uk/Publications/2011/05/Hate-Crime-Scotland-2010-11
The Scottish Government court proceedings database contains data on persons proceeded against in court to the end of March 2010. The Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2009 commenced on 24 March 2010 so there are not yet any prosecutions, convictions or sentences recorded on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database under this act. The Scottish Government plan to publish information on prosecutions, convictions and sentencing for the financial year 2010-11, in December 2011.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 31 May 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what actions it will take to improve independent scrutiny of its record on sustainable development in the absence of the Sustainable Development Commission.
Answer
The arrangements for independent scrutiny of sustainable development performance were set out in the answer to question S3W-37829 on 25 November 2010.
I will reiterate the main points here. The Scottish Parliament and its Committees scrutinise Scottish Government policy across the board, including sustainable development. The UK Committee on Climate Change has been established as an independent body to provide advice and guidance. Audit Scotland has updated its capacity to scrutinise Sustainable Development. The public sector duties on climate change and sustainability will add further impetus to action on sustainability. Environmental NGOs have increased their own focus on sustainability and climate change policy.
We have previously announced our commitment to community-led action on climate change and sustainable development including by increasing the Climate Challenge Fund to £10.3 million for this financial year and making the same commitment for the five-year period of this Parliament. We have further made clear our commitment through the publication of the Report on Proposals and Policies and the Public Engagement Strategy. The Scottish Government attaches a high priority to ensuring a sustainable future for Scotland.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions authorisations for dispersal powers under section 19 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 have been made where the grounds cited include antisocial behaviour by children or young people in each year since 2005, broken down by (a) police force and (b) local authority area.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-40598 on 21 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive how many antisocial behaviour orders have been granted in relation to people (a) under 16, (b) 16-17 and (c) over 18 in each year since 2005, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The use of antisocial behaviour measures covering the period October 2004 to March 2008, including dispersal orders, can be found on the Scottish Government website at
www.scotland.gov.uk. Information beyond that date is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 21 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors the use by local authorities and police forces of acceptable behaviour contracts in respect of children and young people, particularly in relation to the frequency and circumstances of their use.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 March 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions authorisations for dispersal powers under section 19 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 have been made in each year since 2005, broken down by (a) police force and (b) local authority area.
Answer
The use of antisocial behaviour measures covering the period October 2004 to March 2008, including dispersal orders, can be found on the Scottish Government website at
www.scotland.gov.uk. Information beyond that date is not held centrally.
