- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 3 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36453 by Jim Mather on 30 September 2010, which of the programmes have followed Recommendation 3 in the Council of Economic Advisers: Second Annual Report.
Answer
The programmes mentioned in the answer to question S3W-36453 relate to Recommendation 5 of the Council of Economic Advisers which states The Council recommends that the Scottish Government conducts a review of the scope for innovation in the services sector.
To use competition in public procurement as a means of increasing productivity and innovation, as suggested in Recommendation 3, our enterprise agencies actively encourage companies to register with the Scottish Government''s portal, Public Contracts Scotland (PCS). This portal promotes competition by providing companies with direct access to a wide range of opportunities across the public sector. Additionally our enterprise agencies welcome collaborative bids for tenders which help encourage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro SMEs to participate.
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- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 3 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what newspapers and magazines are bought for the specific use of its special advisers and at what cost.
Answer
The following newspapers are purchased by the Scottish Government for the specific use of its special advisers:
1. The Courier
2. Daily Express
3. Daily Mirror
4. Daily Record
5. Daily Star
6. Daily Star Sunday
7. Evening News
8. Evening Times
9. Financial Times
10. The Guardian
11. The Herald
12. The Independent
13. Independent on Sunday
14. Mail on Sunday
15. News of the World
16. The Observer
17. Press and Journal
18. Scotland on Sunday
19. The Scotsman
20. The Sun
21. Sunday Express
22. Sunday Herald
23. Sunday Mail
24. Sunday Mirror
25. Sunday Post
26. Sunday Telegraph
27. Daily Telegraph
28. Daily Mail
29. The People
The cost to provide these newspapers amounts to £1,047.03 per month.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 3 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being undertaken by its Saltire Prize External Communications unit.
Answer
There is no Saltire Prize Communication unit currently operating within the Scottish Government. From June 2008 to March 2010 two staff were tasked with promotion of the Saltire Prize prior to the competition opening to applications. Scottish Development International now has the main responsibility for encouraging international participation in the competition.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 3 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on newspapers in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.
Answer
The Scottish Government spent the following on newspapers:
| Year | Spend (£) |
| 2007-08 | 157,846.09 |
| 2008-09 | 175,318.68 |
| 2009-10 | 197,743.83 |
It should be noted that the contract for the supply of newspapers is only available to organisations within Glasgow, Edinburgh and Livingston. Detail of any expenditure on newspapers for organisations outwith these areas is not held centrally.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has received a report from the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) regarding the future of Scotland’s forensic services and when he will make an announcement regarding this matter.
Answer
I have received a recommendation from the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) and will announce my decision later this year. This will include an explanation of the reasons why that decision was reached, along with the publication of the SPSA''s recommendations and any other representations received.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice will visit the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) facilities in Aberdeen and Edinburgh prior to reaching a decision regarding their future.
Answer
I have no plans to visit the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) facilities in Aberdeen and Edinburgh prior to making my decision. However, I am aware that SPSA staff were consulted on the options and the views received from them will help to inform my decision.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice will make a statement to the Parliament regarding the future of Scotland’s forensic services following receipt of the report from the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA).
Answer
I have received a recommendation from the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA), which I am currently considering. I will not make a statement to the Parliament at this time regarding this matter, but will announce my decision later this year with openness and transparency, including an explanation of the reasons why that decision was reached, along with the publication of the SPSA''s recommendations and any other representations received.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3M-36440 by Fiona Hyslop on 30 September 2010, whether it has had face to face meetings with representatives of the UK Government; what written representations have been made to the UK Government, and what response has been received.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to S3W-36440 in relation to the written representations that were made to the UK Government to which a response was received on 22 October 2010. Discussions at Ministerial level are continuing and in addition to this Scottish Government officials met with officials from the UK Government on 11 August 2010 and on 28 October 2010 to discuss the need for a different approach to the annual limit on migration to be taken in Scotland. The Scottish Government also facilitated a joint Scottish Stakeholder meeting with COSLA on 16 August 2010 at which UK Government representatives were present to hear the views of stakeholders from across Scotland on the proposed annual limit on immigration.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36452 by Fiona Hyslop on 30 September 2010, whether it considers an in-house review of existing research and statistical evidence an adequate measure to assess and explore the factors affecting the decisions of both immigrants and emigrants.
Answer
The Scottish Government considers the in-house review to be sufficient in the current financial climate. The review found that across existing studies, labour market opportunities emerged as the key driver of migration and settlement decisions for all migrant groups, with lifestyle factors and place attractiveness as important secondary factors. This consistency suggests that while data availability is limited, there is no immediate need to commission further work at this time. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor emerging evidence and may commission further work in future. The existing in-house review will be published early in 2011.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 1 November 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being undertaken by its Employability and Tackling Poverty teams.
Answer
The Employability and Tackling Poverty team is driving forward a number of strands of work to support people to gain employment and move out of poverty and to assist this government in achieving its overall objective of sustainable growth.
