- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 2 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what remuneration and other benefits are provided to persons appointed as Chair of the Scottish Futures Trust.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16268 on 24 September 2008. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 2 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive which appointments made by ministers since May 2007 have been subject to the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland’s code of practice.
Answer
All Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland (OCPAS) regulated appointments are routinely shown on the Scottish Government website when they commence.
OCPAS regulated appointments made since May 2007 can be viewed on the internet at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/directory .
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 2 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its officials receive any extra financial assistance from it to enable their children to attend private schools.
Answer
No UK-based Scottish Government officials receive assistance to pay for private school fees. Scottish Government staff posted abroad with accompanying children are eligible to receive financial assistance for educational costs. The amount of assistance is calculated in accordance with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office rules for foreign postings of civil servants.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 2 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received calling for a review of its policy on nuclear power generation.
Answer
The Scottish Government receives many representations on its energy policies, including the issue of nuclear power, from a range of individuals and organisations. As with all policy, these representations express a variety of views.
We have made it clear that Scotland does not want or need new nuclear power stations. We are developing renewable and low carbon energy supplies for a secure future. This view has been endorsed by the Parliament and commands wide respect across Scotland.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 1 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13380 by John Swinney on 3 June 2008, what the underspend or overspend was for each directorate for the financial year 2007-08.
Answer
Based on provisional outturn figures announced on 19 June 2008, the underspend/overspend for each portfolio for the financial year 2007-08 is shown in the following table:
| Directorate | 2007-08 Provisional DEL Underspend/Overspend (£ Million) |
| First Minister | -7 |
| Finance and Sustainable Growth | 20 |
| Health and Wellbeing | -2 |
| Education and Lifelong Learning | -22 |
| Justice | -29 |
| Rural Affairs and the Environment | -23 |
| Total Scottish Government Directorates | -63 |
| Remaining Overallocation | 27 |
| Scottish Parliament and Audit Scotland | -6 |
| Provisional DEL underspend for 2007-08 | -42 |
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 1 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive which of its appointments to boards, funds, trusts or other bodies set up since May 2007 have been made without adherence to the Nolan principles.
Answer
OCPAS (Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland) regulated appointments and most unregulated appointments follow Nolan principles.
Some bodies, both regulated and unregulated, require appointments to their boards to be made on a nomination basis. This is due to the statutory requirements of the founding legislation of these bodies. Nominations would be made, for example, by local authorities or relevant representative groups or bodies. Ministers will formally approve many of these appointments.
The number of appointments that have been made without adherence to Nolan principles since May last year is thought to be small. Specific information on this is not held centrally.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 July 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 1 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many dinners and receptions have been held in Bute House by the First Minister in 2008, showing in each case (a) who the guests were, (b) what the cost was and (c) who the caterers were.
Answer
The information regarding dinners and receptions held in Bute House by the First Minister for the period 1 January to 1 July 2008 and which have been receipted is detailed in the following table. The table is arranged by: event name, date of the event, overall cost of the event, including catering, staff costs, equipment hire, printing, entertainment and flowers, and the name of the caterer that provided the catering. The guest lists of those who have attended events hosted by Scottish Government ministers are routinely published on the Scottish Government website on a quarterly basis.
| Name | Date | Cost in £ (Including VAT) | Name of Caterer |
| Dinner for US Congress | 10 January 2008 | £2,010.75 | Valvona and Crolla |
| Dinner for Cultural Exchanges | 22 January 2008 | £1,207.48 | Heritage Portfolio |
| Reception for Seafish Fryers Quality Award Presented to Glover and Co | 27 May 2008 | £504.99 | Scottish Government |
| Dinner for Scientists | 17 June 2008 | £1,331.48 | Heritage Portfolio |
| Dinner for Arts and Culture Policies | 27 June 2008 | £1,603.05 | Centotre |
| Dinner Following Royal Garden Party | 1 July 2008 | £3,272.67 | Lady Claire McDonald |
| | | Total: £9,930.42 | |
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Bruce Crawford on 30 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements exist to ensure that official statements by ministers are free from party political content.
Answer
Guidance relating to the conduct of ministers is set out in the Scottish Ministerial Code. The code can be accessed on the Scottish Government website through the following link:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/684.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 25 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive which schools in Edinburgh and the Lothians have been approved for the first step in the process for replacement since May 2007.
Answer
These are matters for the relevant councils. The Scottish Government does not commission or approve individual school building projects.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 25 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive which secondary schools have been visited by the First Minister since May 2007.
Answer
The First Minister has visited the following secondary schools since May 2007:
| Name of School | Location | Date |
| New Struan * | Alloa | 5 March 2008 |
| Mearns Castle High School | Newton Mearns | 17 April 2008 |
| Royal Blind School * | Edinburgh | 2 September 2008 |
| Donaldson''s School* | Edinburgh | 17 September 2008 |
Note: *New Struan, Donaldson''s School and Royal Blind School are all through schools with both primary and secondary departments.
